Historians of religion have often divided American Protestantism into two distinct camps: traditional Protestantism and evangelical Protestantism.
Mainliners are seen as more liberal, more ecumenical, and more concerned with ministerial training. They belong to the National Council of Churches, read their pastors The Christian century, and they are often very invested in faith-based institutions. Evangelicals, on the other hand, love revivals and conversion experiences. They love Billy Graham. They are theologically conservative but also entrepreneurial, creating new organizations and innovating with a focus on outreach. They belong to the National Association of Evangelicals and read Christianity today.
But new traditionalist denominations — formed by splits among major churches, including the Episcopal Church in the United States, the Reformed Church in America and now the United Methodist Church — could challenge this simple method of sorting. Are the Methodists who left the UMC evangelical?
I wouldn’t use that word
Keith Boyette, transitional leader of the Global Methodist Church:
I don’t think you’ll find anywhere on our website that we use the word evangelical. And a lot of that is due to how obsolete the term has become. I ended up saying that we are theologically conservative.
Caroline Franks, pastor of Mt. Vernon Church, Trinity, North Carolina:
I think evangelical has been overused and people don’t know the definition. I don’t know what other faiths mean when they use this word. We recover Christ as supreme Lord of all.
Maybe, but it’s complicated
Ryan Danker, director of the John Wesley Institute:
They are classically evangelical in terms of theology but not in terms of social position. For the Global Methodist Church, these individuals have all been pillars over the past 60 years. Is there a change in their identity as Christians in this country, where they were protagonists and now they are no longer? I think that’s a question.
Dale M. Coulter, professor of historical theology, Pentecostal Theological Seminary:
Historically yes, because they claim the heritage of 19th century holiness. As a contemporary moniker, this is a real debate, with some preferring “traditionalism” or “historical” or “orthodox” Christianity, as in early Wesleyan creeds and standards.
Of course they are evangelical
Jeff Patterson, pastor of Wesley Memorial Methodist Church, High Point, North Carolina:
Absolutely. We proudly claim this Wesleyan evangelical heritage.
Elesha Coffman, historian and author ofTurning Points in American Church History:
I think the new name is best described as evangelical, based on his self-identification as a conservative and his non-membership (as far as I know) in the National Council of Churches. The impulse to divide rather than merge or remain is also historically evangelical.
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