Do I Need to Have a Better Attitude Toward Evangelicals?

 Twenty-Fourth Friday after Pentecost

A couple of years ago, I found myself in a bar in Mexico talking to a nice looking middle aged mid-American couple who were quaffing shots of tequila, while I was slowly sipping a fine single malt Scottish whisky.  I never got his name, but he looked like Leonardo Di Caprio, so I just called him "Leonardo." Her name was Coco. As the conversation progressed, I told them I was a United Methodist retired minister. They were very interested. They told me they non-denominational evangelicals. We talked about our different understandings of Christianity. Both were knowledgeable, but Leonardo was particularly well versed in Calvinist theology and the differences between Calvinist and Wesleyan theological understandings. We found ourselves going amicably deeper into the conversation, as we argued our different theological perspectives. Then the conversation went into politics, and there was where things started going wrong. I told them that although I was very political I did not discuss politics well. I can get emotional, angry, and end up not representing my case well. As you might expect our political views were quite opposite. As the conversation progressed, it deteriorated. Perhaps I should say, I deteriorated. Marianne got irritated with me and went back to the hotel room. I argued on. Finally, Coco called it off. Her final words were, "Christian, God is judging you!"

From 1971 through 1974 I was involved in an evangelical Presbyterian church in Durham. A lot of Duke students went there. I loved the church and the people there though I found myself constantly arguing for a more open-minded theological and Biblical understanding. As the time went along, I realized ever more deeply how Wesleyan I was, how non-Calvinist and non-evangelical I was. I moved on to my first full time United Methodist pastorate.  During my time there, politics were never discussed. I knew that some of the people were Republicans and some Democrats, but for most of them I had no idea of their political affiliation. 

During all my growing up and until the late 1970's religion and politics were separate spheres. It was only during Jimmy Carter's presidency (1977-1981) that any president or presidential candidate talked about his faith. Then came Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority. Over the 1980's evangelicalism became deeply involved in Republican politics. Evangelicalism also experienced much growth during this period (but no longer), while mainline denominations declined (and are still declining). 

During these last couple of decades I have become increasingly disenchanted with evangelicals. I have always been opposed to fundamentalists. Now I'm seeing less and less difference between evangelicals and fundamentalists. I've also noticed that one rarely even hears the word fundamentalist anymore. 

It makes me uncomfortable that I've become increasingly anti-evangelical. Aren't we all believing in Christ and working for his Kingdom? Should I invite an evangelical to lunch? Well, I can't invite anybody to lunch nowadays. Perhaps I should just pray for an improvement in my attitude. 

Faithfully,

Christian