The New Old-Time Religion
Evangelicals defy easy labels. Here's why--and why their numbers are growing
Such seriousness about the business of faith may be one reason why evangelical churches are expanding while many mainline Protestant churches shrink. "I think what is happening within the Christian world," says Solomon of McLean Bible Church, "is that going through the motions of being a Christian is something that is passe, outmoded, and no longer necessary. Increasingly, there is evangelicalism and secularism, and if you're not going to be evangelical, why play the game at all?"
Evangelical scholars such as Noll and Marsden find no fault with that seriousness. They would just like to see their fellow evangelicals play the game a bit more thoughtfully--and with a little more mindfulness of where they came from.
From the halls of Congress to the developing world, the growing influence of evangelicalism is everywhere.
"Fundamentalism didn't just disappear; many highly visible leaders and televangelists remain of that tendency."
"Whether they identify more closely with Republicans or Democrats, evangelicals are captive of neither party."
Evangelicalism's folksy appeal is one big reason that America became the most religious of industrial nations.
Attempts to ascribe high moral purpose to all of America's actions would have invited Edwards's cautioning words.
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