Thread by @dianabutlerbass

Dear News Media,

American evangelicalism and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are NOT the same thing.

American evangelicalism, of which Christianity Today is a part, is an inter- and non- denominational set of convictions and religious practices were birthed in 18th century revivalism. It continues to this day as a complex of personalities & theological ideas.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is an historic denomination of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. In the US, the ELCA is the merger of several European Lutheran ethnic churches and is part of the old Protestant mainline.

American evangelicals, for all its diversity (there's lots of it, making it hard understand), generally share 4 touchstones of belief:

1. Biblicism
2. Crucicentrism (a particular form of the atonement)
3. Conversionism
4. Activism

This is known as the Bebbington Quadrilateral

Biblicism is typically some form of literalism and inerrancy; Crucicentrism is expressed in substitutionary atonement; Conversion is usually a born again experience; and activism is the need for mission & political activism to bring about the kingdom of God.

The ELCA, in contrast, teaches the Bible in historic & literary context; understands the Cross as central allowing for several possible theologies of such; believes that Baptism is the beginning of the Christian life; and see activism as God's work of love & justice in the world.

Someone in the ELCA would be far more likely to read the magazine Christian Century rather than Christianity Today.

And no magazine speaks for the ELCA. Their bishops do on behalf of the people they serve. If you want to know what the ECLA thinks about Trump's impeachment, call Elizabeth Eaton, presiding bishop of the church.

That's another different between American evangelicalism and the ELCA. Few evangelical churches have women in leadership (many, if not most, reject it). But the ELCA has a woman in charge. BTW, she's a really great leader, too.

So, big pro tip:

If you are doing a story about diversity among evangelicals, you call in the editor of Christianity Today and say, Al Mohler.

Not the editor of Christianity Today and a Lutheran pastor.

If you want a story about diversity among American PROTESTANTS, by all means, call the editor of Christianity Today and an ELCA leader.

Or an Episcopal, Presbyterian, UCC, Methodist, Disciples, or RCA one.

Call me. I can give you a long list of great people who know theology.

This mistake is so common -- and it just makes the news media look completely ignorant. There's NO reason for it.

I'm not even ELCA and this makes me crazy.

Please forgive typos, grammar mistakes. Wrote this one quickly.

Note: My PhD (Duke) is in American religious history & George Marsden was my doctoral advisor. I went to an evangelical college & seminary.

Yes, I'm an Episcopalian and have written almost a dozen books on liberal/mainline religion.

But I know evangelicalism.