THOUGHTS AND NOTES: SHORT NOTE ON THE NATURE OF EVANGELICALISM

EVANGELICALISM & EVANGELICAL-IS-ME

Since (1) Evangelical Christianity is a widely recognized and used term, and (2) I consider one part of my own self to be Evangelical [although it is only a part, but I can't tear myself apart, so I'm Evangelical indeed, to certain extent :)], it would be nice to know what is this wierd thing - an Evangelicalism - and how I can relate to it (hence the mixed title "Evangelicalism/Evangelical-Is-Me")... Therefore here I will try to explain which Evangelicalism I belong to and which one I reject or, at least, don't like :)


As far as I can discern, there are approximately four types of Evangelicalism:


# 1:
Name/Label: the "denominational" or "extremely exclusive" Evangelicalism.

Self-Identification: here the Christians regard their own church and theological tradition as the Evangelical one, i.e. the most correct and fullest exposition of evangelical believes.

"Evangelical Identity Formula:"
Evangelicalism = OUR church + perhaps/hypothetically/somehow some other groupes of Christians thoroughly faithful to certain (it may vary) principles of a sort of fundamentalist Evangelical theology.

Representatives: some formerly dissent Evanelical Baptist churches in former Soviet Union and some small fundamentalist movements in the USA.


# 2:
Name/Label: "the multi-denominational," broad Evangelicalism.

Self-Identification: among the Evangelicals there may be counted multiple Christian churches rooted in or influenced by the ideas of the Radical Reformation and various British & American non-conformist movements: Anabaptists, Mennonites, Baptists, Pentecostals, Charismatics, etc.

"Evangelical Identity Formula:"
Evangelicalism = family of many contemporary Evangelical Churches which profess the highest authority of the Bible, the Reformation solae and other "Gospel values" =
= Baptists + other Baptists + more Baptists + these Pentecostals + those Pentecostals + Free Churches here + Free Churches there + ...

Representatives: the members of the Free Churches and the Assemblies of God, various Baptists, Pentecostals, Charismatics et alii.


# 3:
Name/Label: the "generalized Protestant" Evangelicalism.

Self-Identification: this view sees (quite correctly) the recovery of the Gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone during the German and Swiss Reformations as both the core and the unifying principle of Evangelical/Protestant movement.

"Evangelical Identity Formula:"
Evangelicalism = the 'Classical' Protestant Churches + the majority/all/some of the 'Radical' Protestants and the Free Church movement =
= the Lutherans + the Reformed + the Anglicans + the Mennonites + the Evangelicals of group # 2, with some suspicion and selection though... :)

Representatives: usually all the aforementioned.


# 4:
Name/Label: the "widely inclusive" and cross-denominational Evangelicalism.

Self-Identification: Evangelical identity is seen in a general attitude of Christians towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Christian life. As it was expressed by J.I. Packer,

“Evangelicals, though historically hesitant to call themselves catholic because of what they see as incomplete Christianity among those, Roman and Anglican, who claim the name, are as catholic in purpose as anyone else, and their reluctance to use the label is a pity, just as it is a pity that self styled Anglican Catholics who love the Lord Jesus should hesitate to call themselves evangelicals.
The essence of evangelicalism, as today’s scholars usually define it, is bible-based, cross-centered, commitment-oriented, and mission-focused: four qualities that, one way or another have marked the Christian Church as such since it began (if you doubt me, look at St. Paul!).”

"Evangelical Identity Formula:"
Evangelicalism = all the Christians who believe, trust in and love the Gospel of Jesus Christ regardless their Church affiliations and denominations.

Representatives: usually some small groupes of "Evangelical Catholics" or "Ecumenical Churches" belonging to certain churches (e.g. the Northumbria Community in the U.K.) and some individual Christians: often either scholars or widely-thinking laypeople.

I personally adhere to the last view, because to my mind this is the most Christian, the most acceptable, the most unifying definition of Evangelicalism which is open to followers of Christ from any denomination - whether Roman Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal or anything else - and despite various differences and discrepancies between these denominations. Mutual hospitality, love and faithfulness to Christ's teaching are one of the most crucial Christian virtues. At least, I think so...

THOUGHTS AND NOTES: BRAIN: A SHORT INTRODUCTION

WHAT IT IS, WHERE IT IS, AND WHAT TO DO WITH IT :)))

Recently (in fact, three days ago, on Sunday) I have been in Brussels with my wife for some sightseeing and hanging around together, and in a shop-window near the Brussels Grand Place we've noticed several cool posters. They must be considered the challenge for the people of today: it is the call to stop 'just living' and start living consiously with our minds turned on!

The posters were saying:

"Use your brain! ...It is located in your head :)"

and

"Try to think out of the box - it helps!"

I personally like it! Do you? :)))

THOUGHTS AND NOTES: G.K. CHESTERTON ON EDUCATION II

EDUCATION AND PEOPLE

Here I would like to add a couple of other Chesterton's thought concerning education. The first phrase simply explains what the general social and metaphysical function of education is. The second statement represents a problem of anyone who tries to preform this function by means of either teaching or learning: what to learn and what to ignore?

"Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another."

"The perplexity of life arises from there being too many interesting things in it for us to be interested properly in any of them."

/These and previous quotations from G.K. Chesterton's works were generously distributed by my friend Mike Finch through his regualar publications of the "Chesterton Quote of the Day" here/

THOUGHTS AND NOTES: G.K. CHESTERTON ON EDUCATION

EDUCATION, LEARNING AND VARIOUS CRITICISMS

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was a brilliant writer and deep thinker (also he was a devoted Christian), who could give and actually gives some remarkable insights into literature or religious studies, etc. I am also convinced that he did have a lot of very useful and challenging thoughts about other things. For instance, he left several interesting statements about education and educational system.


One of his concerns about the modern state of affairs within the 'academic world' is the problem of studies without learning or memorizing without changing oneself. Learning is really impossible without changes in one's own personality, but this change or self-development is impossible without self-criticism, so...

"Though the academic authorities are actually proud of conducting everything by means of Examinations, they seldom indulge in what religious people used to descibe as Self-Examination. The consequence is that the modern State has educated its citizens in a series of ephemeral fads."

"The purpose of Compulsory Education is to deprive the common people of their commonsense."

"What embitters the world is not excess of criticism, but an absence of self-criticism."

SEVERAL AFORISMS

SEVERAL INTERESTING AND FUNNY AFORISMS
from the covers of the "Dove" sweets =)

Listen to your heartbeat and dance!

Smile before bed - you'll sleep better!

Age is nothing but the number...

Make "someday" today!

Dare to love complete.

Sometimes one smile means more than a dozen roses...

THOUGHTS AND NOTES: WHEN THE HARD TIMES COME...

WHEN THE HARD TIMES COME...

When the ground trembes below your feet and great financial crisis is all around, when you don't know what will happen to you tomorrow, you have to find something solid or someone reliable to trust in. "When life caves in, you do not need reasons, you need comfort. You do not need answers, you need someone. And Jesus does not come to us with an explanation, he comes to us with his presence" /Bob Benson/. So, what we as Christians do need now is the presense of our Lord - He is the only way out of any crisis. Let us remember that true comfort is in Him ONLY!

But even if He is next to us, it doesn't make us fearless, rather it makes us strong enough to overcome the fear we have and follow our path leading to something better. "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all" /King Rupert from 'The Princess Diaries'/.

May He help us break through these 'nostra aetate' (our times) and survive in the midst of all this - spiritual, economical, educational, religious - crisis! We just need to trust Him wholeheartidly!

/These quotes were found somewhere by Mr. Lawrence Gingery, who gave me them earlier. I've just noticed them in my collection of 'wise phrases' and decided to post them here. I think it's right time for such a thing =)/