Evangelicalism's Current Disaster of Definition

Carl Trueman writes the following pithy and humourous remarks on evangelicalism, highlighting especially that the movement's current trend is extensive inclusiveness: not wanting to draw up biblical boundaries or definitions as to who or what is truly "evangelical" and what is not.

"Combine the problems of defining evangelical identity with the current cultural penchant for not excluding anybody and you have a heady recipe for total disaster. Say nice things about Jesus, have a warm feeling in your heart when somebody lights a candle, and be kind to your grandmother and—hey presto!—you belong; you too can be an evangelical. Thus we have deniers of penal substitution, of any meaningful notion of biblical authority, of the uniqueness of Christ for salvation, of justification by grace through faith, of the particularity of salvation. No matter: just stress that Jesus was a jolly good bloke, mouth a few orthodox sounding phrases, speak with a bit of engaging passion, and you too can get a membership pass and a speaking gig. And, if the conferences I mentioned above are anything to go by, we fall for such ruses every time."

via: 9Marks Ministries