The word “evangelical” has launched a thousand books, blog posts, and tweets – many of them authored by myself. But, at least in the world of social media, the consensus seems to be that the term “evangelical” is irreparably damaged, in large part due its cooptation by politically conservative Christians who support policies that many perceive to be immoral, while also providing unflagging support for President Donald Trump.
And, it’s become somewhat of a trope now that evangelicals are in decline. But, I honestly don’t think that’s as true as most people believe it to be. …
What people seem to forget is that while the term “evangelical” has become toxic to a very vocal group on social media, at the same time the melding of evangelical theology with conservative ideology has actually led other people to latch on to the term, even though it’s not an integral part of their faith tradition. CONTINUED
Ryan P. Burge (Eastern Illinois U.), Religion in Public
