Name that evangelical, part deux

Name: WORLD
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As I noted on Saturday, pollsters and marketers are applying the word “evangelical” so broadly that it’s become largely meaningless. Sarah Posner had contributed “Trumpvangelical,” I had countered with “Calvangelical,” and here are five suggestions from WORLD members:

“Inclusigelical”: Very broad, referring to a person who calls himself born-again but doesn’t change or want to change anything he does. “Panvangelical”: Everyone who tells a pollster he’s an evangelical, even if he’s more pantheist than Christian. “Fauxgelical”: Someone who’s not an evangelical but sees political advantage in claiming to be one. “Nochurchgelical”: Someone who never goes to church. “Mythegelical”: Someone who defines himself as Christian but doesn’t believe Jesus was resurrected.

If you’re groaning about those, lighten up, please—it has been a politically depressing week.

I’d call all five of the above “Jellygelicals,” since they aren’t solid and tend to wiggle.

But that sounds pejorative, so I’d also add the term “Nicevangelical,” for those who can say the Nicene Creed and are also very nice.

Marvin Olasky

Marvin is the former editor in chief of WORLD, having retired in January 2022, and former dean of World Journalism Institute. He joined WORLD in 1992 and has been a university professor and provost. He has written more than 20 books, including Reforming Journalism.

@MarvinOlasky

Faith & Religion

Name that evangelical, part deux

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