{"id":5908,"date":"2009-10-01T00:07:20","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T00:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/jesuscreed\/2009\/10\/rob-bell-on-evangelical.html"},"modified":"2009-10-01T00:07:20","modified_gmt":"2009-10-01T00:07:20","slug":"rob-bell-on-evangelical","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/jesuscreed\/2009\/10\/rob-bell-on-evangelical.html","title":{"rendered":"Rob Bell on “Evangelical”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"RobBell.jpg\"<\/span>I want to post two answers <\/i>Rob Bell gave to the Boston Globe<\/i><\/a> where he defines evangelical. Tomorrow I want to discuss something about a trend I’ve observed about the word “evangelical.” What do you think of his definition?<\/b><\/i><\/p>\n

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Q.<\/strong> What does it mean to you to be an evangelical?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A.<\/strong> [Rob Bell] I take issue with the word to a certain degree, so I make a distinction between a capital E and a small e. I was in the Caribbean in 2004, watching the election returns with a group of friends, and when Fox News, in a state of delirious joy, announced that evangelicals had helped sway the election, I realized this word has really been hijacked. I find the word troubling, because it has come in America to mean politically to the right, almost, at times, anti-intellectual. For many, the word has nothing to do with a spiritual context.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Q. <\/strong>OK, how would you describe what it is that you believe?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A.<\/strong> [Rob Bell] I embrace the term evangelical, if by that we mean a belief that we together can actually work for change in the world, caring for the environment, extending to the poor generosity and kindness, a hopeful outlook. That’s a beautiful sort of thing.<\/p>\n

There is a fuller version online<\/a> and this was in that fuller version:<\/b><\/p>\n

Q: Is religion a part of that? 
A: At the heart of the Christian story is resurrection, the belief that this word is good, and that, as a follower of Jesus, a belief that God hasn?t abandoned the world, but is actively at work in the world. Even in the midst of what can look like despair and destruction there is a new creation present.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I want to post two answers Rob Bell gave to the Boston Globe where he defines evangelical. Tomorrow I want to discuss something about a trend I’ve observed about the word “evangelical.” What do you think of his definition? Q. What does it mean to you to be an evangelical? 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