What is an evangelical?By Michael Youssef
WORLD NET DAILY - One of the most frustrating things for those of us who love accuracy in the use of words and terminologies is the torture the word "evangelical" receives at the hands of the media, in general, and many Christians, in particular.
Most people use the term "evangelical" as a catchall phrase to describe non-Catholic Christians. Political commentators ignore the theological origin completely and simply use it as another term for "politically conservative."
The term has become so watered down that even people who describe themselves as evangelicals are totally oblivious to the meaning of the word. USA Today recently published the results of two surveys, glibly announcing that 37 percent of evangelicals do not believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation.
This would be like announcing that 37 percent of all Americans do not believe that there are 50 states. Or half of the British people denying that the English language is their language. You get the point of the ludicrousness of the use of the term "evangelical."
The word itself stems from its Greek origin, eugangelion, which means "gospel," or the gospel of Jesus Christ. When applied to an individual or a group of people, it means that they believe salvation or redemption or justification comes through Jesus Christ alone. A more recent definition includes those who believe in the authority of the Bible.
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