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New Evangelicals

Christian campuses now tackle touchy issues like divorce, race and homosexuality.

By Lisa Miller and Karen Springen | NEWSWEEK
Published Aug 18, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Aug 18, 2008

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  • Posted By: bubba23 @ 08/18/2008 9:33:00 PM

    I think that you guys are way off base in your response to the article. The article is pointing out that there is a growing generational divide between college age evangelicals and their parents and other elders. Being a recent graduate from a Christian college I can testify to the truth in this article. Young evangelicals want to be engaged in the world and discuss its problems. We do realize that abortion and homosexuality are big issues to most evangelicals but to us there are other issues that must be addressed. Social justice, poverty, aids and genocide in Africa and the environment are things we should care about. Also, just because we accept people who are gay does not mean we agree with it. It is just that young people have probably known people who are gay and thus relate to them as human beings and not generalizations. I take offense to the idea that just because I am a young college aged person who wants discuss and change things in our world and am not consumed by the issues of homosexuality and abortion I am labeled a "so called Christian" or not living "in a close relationship with god." I have been raised in a Christian environment my whole life and politically I am even registered a republican. You people need to escape the bubble you live in and realize that Christians can have different opinions and that caring about other issues is important.

    • Posted By: curlycutie @ 08/22/2008 2:42:47 PM

      As a Political Science major at a small Christian school I see how involved and concerned students are about a large realm of important issues. It might be hard sometimes to separate the neo-conservatives who claim to be Christian and the real Christians. God was caring, giving and loving. We were instructed to feed the poor, care for the sick and love the unlovable. Hate breeds nothing but hate and in hate there is usually ignorance. Some people would like to call some of the new trends in Christian colleges as ???lukewarm???. I would disagree instead I think- FINALLY young Christians are realizing we live in global world full of injustices and we have been so blessed we have to help those less fortunate. By being a loving, giving and UNDERSTANDING person we demonstrate God???s spirit, instead of just quoting scripture!

      • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/25/2008 12:41:27 PM

        Neo-conservatives vs the real Christians! .... it is easy to try to put a label on certain groups who do not agree with you but one only need to check the references of what they believe in.... If the Social Liberals believe in Moral relatiivism then how can they be absolutely sure that they are right since the moral relativism states there is no absolute rights or wrongs only differents situations..... This is a joke within itself....

        As for demonstrating God wouldn't it be more appropriate to do what God tells us like Jesus demonstrated with his life here on earth? God hates sin and Jesus spoke out against sin He didn't acknowlegde that the world's way of looking at things but jesus acknowledge His Father's way of looking at the world... that it was full of sin and speaking the truth to those situations no matter if they were popular or not.... Jesus didn't contradict the scriptures eh expounded upon them in a way to let everyone know that they couldn't keep the law of God.... it is only kept through the Spirit of God.....

        To many people claim to know what God wants yet they don't know what His word says about the situation or even the context in which it is talking about.... If you are offended by scriptures showing the error of peoples ways then you are truly one who hates!..... If you say that this is the way to act Godly without reference then you are just blowing sand in the wind....... A standard has to be clear, consised and acknowledge before one can say this is the way to do things according to such and such.... and to only uphold the standards that one favors over the other and not look at the whole of the matter is NOT keeping the standards but is self-deception.....

    • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/19/2008 11:52:38 AM

      It is not that having a different opinion is bad .... all Christians have different opinions as you can see in the diversity of churchs across the nation... but the main things we should have in common is what the word of God and we all should hold scriptures as the final arbritator. To say that you accept people who are gay is one thing but to give approval of their lifestyle is another.. One of my family member is gay and I love them but I don't approve of their lifestyle... and making legislation that forces children to learn about their lifstyle and accepting it as normal undermines the foundation of the family and what God commands that fathers to teach their children. This issue is going to be a devisive one and no doubt that many or shall I say all are going to have to pick a side.... either you believe what God says or you don't and those that are lukewarm .....
      Rev.3
      [13] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
      [14] And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
      [15] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
      [16] So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

      I don't fault you for having a different opinion but I do fault you if you don't follow what the bible say about the issue and you are representing Christ and suppose to tell the truth no matter what....

      2Tim.4
      [2] Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

  • Posted By: C. MacLean @ 08/18/2008 10:34:32 PM

    Christian campuses may be tackling newer issues, but Evangelicalism in general is no different than its ever been - still self-righteious, still narrow minded and intolerant, still arrogant. There is no room at their inn for anyone who doesn't believe exactly as they do.

    • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/19/2008 11:59:53 AM

      There is also no room for sin in heaven..... should we tolerate sin of all types? What is it that you want Evangelicals to tolerate? Is it anything goes with you and those who are quick to claim discrimination, bigotry, hate-mongers..... it is not in God's will that sin should rule in our life and when judgment comes upon this earth it will first begin with those who call themselves Christians and what matters the most is that we have to speak the truth.....

      • Posted By: C. MacLean @ 08/19/2008 6:49:16 PM

        And of course, you and others like you know God's will and the rest of us are idiots. The sins I have the most trouble tolerating are arrogance and hypocrisy. Hopefully, god won't have those in heaven.

        It is exactly this arrogant smugness from evagelicals that is so difficult to live with. To assume you "know" the truth is ridiculous. Heaven - maybe there isn't one. Judgement upon the earth - fairy tale. Speak the truth - according to whom? The bible? No thanks.

        Personally, I think we would have been a lot better off if God had given us Her only begotten Daughter.

        As it is, I detest having someone else tell me how to live based on set of beliefs I don't subscribe to. What I believe is the 11th Commandment: thou shalt mind thine own business.

        • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/22/2008 1:12:38 PM

          What is difficult to live with is your indecisiveness on the issue of faith in God.... If you don't believe in God and you don't want to serve Him ... then why comment on his message or messengers? it is you who is intollerant towards those who do believe.... your belief or unbelief is your decision and yours alone... my job is only to speak the truth .... if you receive it then all is good if you do not then your are responsible for what you have heard and will have no excuse when you stand before God....

          Voicing one's opinion is not a crime as you have freely voiced you contempt for Christianity... and i have voiced mine.... I may not be able to change your opinion but I am able to give you a different point of view other than the one you believe in... if you don't want me to do this then don't post.... after all you are on a blog site... and attack Christians as being all the things that you detest...

  • Posted By: cferns1530 @ 08/19/2008 1:54:47 PM

    just speaking from my experience, i love evangelicals because they were friendly, helpful and very welcoming. but whenever i spoke to them about whether they believed if a person a very good character who was from another religion would be saved from hell, they said "no i dont believe they will be saved" that just explains the narrow-mindedness of beliefs and what religion can do. just like a christian is born a christian, what makes him special in God's eyes from a pious buddhist who is born a buddhist or muslim?

    no doubt america is a predominantly always and is a christian nation and that's fine. but you cant say you believe in democracy and then infuse religion in the equation.

    what is really mindblowing though are the people actually post bible scriptures. now thats a huge post.

    • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/19/2008 3:10:58 PM

      The narrow mindedness of beliefs and what religion can do.... there is something similiar in all religions all claim to have a way to either God, enlightment.....etc.... but Christianity is different in this aspect... Christianity states what God has done to redeem mankind while other religions tell you what you are suppose to do to redeem yourself..... No one is born a Christian.... they are born into a Christian family but that doesn't make them Christians.... it is an individual choice one must make by themselves... especially since all will stand before God on their own.... even buddhist, muslim, and whatever religion you want to bring up.... all who are born to parents of these religions more than likely associate themselves with that religion but most don't even know what their own religion stands for .... including Christians...... they are pseudo to say the least.... God has no repsect of person..... meaning that he shows no favorites but he does recognize those that recognize Him and who have received His Son's sacrifice in the redemption of mankind..... there are all races, ethnicities of Christianity throughout the world..... from those who have come out of all religions.... what makes one special in God's eyes is when one accepts what God has done instead of relying on his own works or acts to redeem oneself....

      Here are a few points I would like you to look at.... If you want I can provide references for each...

      1. This is a Christian Nation as you have claimed.... not only that but the Supreme court has established this as a Christian nation.. http://members.aol.com/TestOath/HolyTrinityOp1-2.htm

      2. All religions cannot be right (since all believe in going in different directions and doing different things to arrive at the same destination) but all religions can be wrong.... so it would make since that God would establish the way toward heaven and not man.... if not then everybody would have an excuse to stand before God and make excuses saying that they didn't know the way .... Christianity exclusively defines the way only through Christ Jesus (read John 14:6)

      3. The Declaration of Independence was given before the Constitution and no doubt that God was infused into the equation of democracy.... http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm .... what religion did you think they were talking about when they wrote the declaration? The predominate religion was Christianity.... which you could see written in the constitutions of the early states.... my point is it has always been infused into the equation of democracy....

      4. This is a huge post as well and I didn't use but on reference to scripture..... lol....

      • Posted By: cferns1530 @ 08/20/2008 1:55:31 AM

        My firend i do not doubt your immense BELIEF in Christ, just as i do not doubt the immense BELIEF a Muslim has for Muhammad, similarly others.

        But when you claim to KNOW that you are the most righteous one, because what YOUR book tells you it doesnt make you any different from others.

        As for the declaration, one word can discredit everything you want to prove: JEFFERSON

        "Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building a wall of separation between Church & State." [8]

        i would have assumed you know this but i rather thought id inform you. Peace!

        • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/22/2008 12:56:48 PM

          Did I claim that I was the most righteous one? I tell you that my righteousness is not of my own... meaning that I don't try to appease God by good works in order to be delcared righteous... I accept the righteousness that Christ Jesus has bestowed upon all believers .... not of their own works but by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus...

          As for the Jefferson comment... it shows you that you don't know what jefferson was talking about... it was a letter to the DansburyBaptist Association in Connecticut... he address the issue of not establishing a national religion when they were asking about a state religion.... this letter lead to the establishment of the first admentment to the constitution which states.... Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.... which only means that the U.S. government would not recognize a universal religion like England as the primary religion in the land.... and that people would have the right to worship whatever they wanted...

          So when left alone the states did establish this as a Christian nation by drafting their constitutions to honor God and the Supreme court declared this to be a Christian nation not by force but by acknowledging what the people had themselves establish without government interference...

          I would have assumed that you knew this but it is something you want to avoid recognizing in your response. Also the no religious test is used by those supporters of seperation of church and state... yet you guys don't know the history behind the religous test... it was trying to associate the canidate to a Christian congregation by making him sware an oath to abide by this doctrine they taught.... therefore establishing a national religion through a test or oath being sworn to uphold an office...

          I agree that everyone should be able to worship how the want and that no oath should be required to serve in office... but this still is a Christian nation and our laws, constitutions (state and national), and federal buildings and courts reflected these beliefs...... until along comes the ACLU.... Another Criminal Lying Unit.... try to erase God from the foundations of our nation....

  • Posted By: bojack27 @ 08/19/2008 11:38:33 AM

    Here is the problem with these pseudo Christians who are doing opposite of God (DOGs) and those haters of God (HOGs) If you call yourself a Christian like Obama and don't believe in following the teachings of the one that you are name after then quit calling yourself by His name.... you are self deceiving yourself and others along with you... If God is not Lord of all than He is not Lord period... Jesus warned of this in scripture saying....
    Matt.7
    [21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
    [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
    [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
    [24] Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
    [25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
    [26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
    [27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
    [28] And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
    [29] For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

    There is no compromising with the Word of God and those who say that abortion, homosexuality and gay marriage is ok in some circumstances have aligned themselves against the Word of God and thus against God.... they are indirectly calling God a liar and His word is not in them.... this is a serious problem facing Christianity... but even scripture tells us there would be a great falling away
    2Thes.2
    [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

    For those who consider themselves Christians I suggest that you meditate on these scriptures and what the bible says
    Rom.12
    [1] I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
    [2] And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

    Luke.6
    [46] And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

  • Posted By: bubba23 @ 08/18/2008 9:32:11 PM

    I think that you guys are way off base in your response to the article. The article is pointing out that there is a growing generational divide between college age evangelicals and their parents and other elders. Being a recent graduate from a Christian college I can testify to the truth in this article. Young evangelicals want to be engaged in the world and discuss its problems. We do realize that abortion and homosexuality are big issues to most evangelicals but to us there are other issues that must be addressed. Social justice, poverty, aids and genocide in Africa, and the environment are things we should care about. Also, just because we accept people who are gay does not mean we agree with it. It is just that young people have probably known people who are gay and thus relate to them as human beings and not generalizations. I take offense to the idea that just because I am a young college aged person who wants discuss and change things in our world and isn't consumed by the issues of homosexuality and abortion I am labeled a "so called Christian" or not living "in a close relationship with god." I have been raised in a Christian environment my whole life and politically I am even registered a republican. You people need to escape the bubble you live in and realize that Christians can have different opinions and that caring about other issues is important.

  • Posted By: jeep_grove @ 08/18/2008 8:01:53 PM

    Yeah, I would have to agree with gthornberg. It is funny how the media switches to everything "religious" in an election year. It is sad though to see them numbering one or two students out of Christian colleges who don't neccessarily live in a close relationship with God or understand the moral principles in the Bible. If you are a Christian, then issues like abortion and homosexuality are really quite defined.

  • Posted By: jeep_grove @ 08/18/2008 8:00:45 PM

    Yeah, I would have to agree with gthornberg. It is funny how the media switches to everything "religious" in an election year. It is sad though to see them numbering one or two students out of Christian colleges who don't neccessarily live in a close relationship with God or understand the moral principles in the Bible. If you are a Christian, then issues like abortion and homosexuality are really quite defined.

  • Posted By: gthornberg @ 08/18/2008 7:15:58 PM

    It's getting old how much the news media prepping Evangelicals to be OK with issues they would normally oppose in pro-choice candidates like Obama. I'm sure the main reason for this article is to convince the rest of us Evangelicals that ???other Evangelicals are OK with such and such, so you should too.??? By the way, caring for the poor and equal rights between blacks and whites is on a MUCH higher value level than protecting the right of people to kill unborn babies. I don???t care if some so-called ???Christians??? are undecided about abortion. I???m sure if an election was not near, the number of articles about Evangelicals would be much smaller in number (watch and see after this election!). Why not write reports on what MOST Evangelicals believe and get the word out about this to the general population? Oh, but that wouldn???t be pro-Choice enough!

  • Posted By: gthornberg @ 08/18/2008 7:15:43 PM

    It's getting old how much the news media prepping Evangelicals to be OK with issues they would normally oppose in pro-choice candidates like Obama. I'm sure the main reason for this article is to convince the rest of us Evangelicals that ???other Evangelicals are OK with such and such, so you should too.??? By the way, caring for the poor and equal rights between blacks and whites is on a MUCH higher value level than protecting the right of people to kill unborn babies. I don???t care if some so-called ???Christians??? are undecided about abortion. I???m sure if an election was not near, the number of articles about Evangelicals would be much smaller in number (watch and see after this election!). Why not write reports on what MOST Evangelicals believe and get the word out about this to the general population? Oh, but that wouldn???t be pro-Choice enough!

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