Protestant vs. Evangelical

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catholic03

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Hello

I find it interesting how in German speaking countries, Lutherans/Protestants in general are usually called ‘Evangelicals’, while in the rest of the world Evangelical refers to a specific type of Protestant.

Has anyone else noticed this?
 
In German, Evangelisch means Lutheran. A Baptist or Calvinist isn’t Evangelisch.

But in Brazil, Evangélico is a polite word for Protestant in general. In Portuguese, Protestants aren’t divided into Evangélicos and others. They’re all Evangélicos.
 
But Calvinists are evangelisch reformiert 😜

In French, I often have to ask “what do you mean, évangélique? Is it evangelisch or evangelical?”
 
catholic03 said:
I find it interesting how in German speaking countries, Lutherans/Protestants in general are usually called ‘Evangelicals’, while in the rest of the world Evangelical refers to a specific type of Protestant.

Has anyone else noticed this?
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Yes, this is true. The German language has two words that can be translated as “evangelical” in English. These are evangelische and evangelikal.

Evangelische refers to Protestantism in general and was used by Martin Luther as his preferred name for the Lutheran Church. Later, it also became applied to Reformed Protestants. In English, this term was carried over as “evangelical”, and just like in Germany the first English Protestants were known as “evangelicals.” You still see this usage today in the US with Lutheran denominations retaining “evangelical” in their names, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The German word evangelikal is used to describe what in the English speaking world is known as Evangelicalism. This is a specific movement within Protestantism that began in England and its American colonies in the 1730s. It was revivalistic and drew on several Protestant traditions that began in Europe, specifically English Puritanism and Methodism plus the Pietist movement within the Lutheran and Reformed churches.
 
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OddBird said:
In French, I often have to ask “what do you mean, évangélique ? Is it evangelisch or evangelical ?”
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In Portuguese, the word protestante is seen (by Protestants) as mildly derogatory or disrespectful. If you’re among Catholics, you’re free to use it, but if you’re speaking to Protestants, it’s safer to use evangélico, to avoid giving offense.
 
catholic03 said:
Has anyone else noticed this?
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I never have known that. I use the distinction of Protestant/Evangelical because there is a difference to me. Protestants for the most part are liturgical and evangelicals anything goes.
 
charsan said:
I never have known that. I use the distinction of Protestant/Evangelical because there is a difference to me. Protestants for the most part are liturgical and evangelicals anything goes.
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Interesting. My definition for Protestantism has always been based on theology, not liturgy since Protestants within the same denominations have often argued over how much and what kind of liturgy there should be. Some Protestants are liturgical, others are not. Protestantism is a broad movement that includes any church that historically teaches sola fide, sola scriptura, etc. In the US, its common to divide Protestantism into “evangelicals” and “mainline”, but both are considered Protestant (even if I argue that some liberal Protestants have ceased meaningfully to be Protestant since they reject such foundational beliefs such as sola fide and sola scriptura).

Evangelicalism is a subset of Protestantism and has more to do with emphasis and spirituality than it does with a particular style of worship or liturgy, particularly an emphasis on Christians being “born again” or undergoing a conscious conversion experience/process. There are evangelicals in the liturgical traditions. John Wesley, for example, was a high church Anglican, but he is also one of the founders of Evangelicalism. J. I. Packer and John Stott are highly respected modern day evangelical theologians and both are Anglican priests.
 
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charsan said:
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catholic03:
Has anyone else noticed this?
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I never have known that. I use the distinction of Protestant/Evangelical because there is a difference to me. Protestants for the most part are liturgical and evangelicals anything goes.
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Part of the problem is when we structure our understanding within the framework of our own generalities. For me, the Charismatic Anglicans I know resemble the Evangelical more than the liturgical.

And just to let you know, previous discussions here on CAF bear the reality that within the Episcopalian/Anglican traditions is where “anything goes!”

Motley, that is.
 
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My two cents…and can be wrong…

In the Northeast US, Evangelicals usually mean offshoots from the penticostal movement(1900s), which originated from the Holiness movement(late 1800s). These are non liturgical sunday services. Usually singing, then a pastor, preaching… They are very loosely based together in a quasi-hierarchy or non-denominational with other churches. Usually run on their own with a council(elders) and a pastor. Unlike mainstream protestants like Lutheran, Episcopalians, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc… who have a liturgy. I would classify baptist in between mainline and evangelicals…

Seems like the farther out from the reformation the less likely to have a liturgy…
 
Yes I can confirm this, as an ex-evangelical, the services are non-liturgical, the liturgy of the eucharist is simple (2-3 minutes). Preaching makes up a great deal of the service. A lot of emphasis also being placed on understanding what the preacher says.
 
Folks need straightening out on a range of topics. The first post I ever made, anywhere on line, around 22+ years ago, when my joints were more flexible and my hair slightly darker, was on a nice RC board, where some nice RC folks were greatly confused about a number of points, re: Anglicanism, generally. Thus began my posting career.

And, of course, Anglicans can also require straightening out, but that’s a more complicated issue.
 
brianjmc1 said:
Unlike mainstream protestants like Lutheran, Episcopalians, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc… who have a liturgy. I would classify baptist in between mainline and evangelicals…
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There are evangelical movements within the Episcopal Church and there are entire Presbyterian and Methodist denominations that are evangelical in addition to there also being evangelical movements within the mainline Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church. Baptists are essentially evangelicals although not all Baptists would claim that label for various reasons.
 
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ltwin said:
Protestantism is a broad movement that includes any church that historically teaches sola fide, sola scriptura, etc.
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I would say it is a broad array of movements.
There are significant differences, not the least being the understanding of sacraments.
And I find that the distinction between “protestant” and “evangelical” is less significant than that.
I may be wrong.
 
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