That does NOT mean however, to be a part of mainline denominations—whose organizations actively support sodomy, abortion, and, anti-Semitism (in the guise of “anti-Zionism” (anti-Israel)) is acceptable for bible-believing Christians....
Can you point me to an evangelical-wide, accepted definition of "evangelical"? Can you point me to the evangelical-wide, accepted creedal statement that addresses the sins of sodomy, abortion, and anti-Semitism?
Can you point me to the evangelical-wide excommunications of individuals who have commited sins against this group-wide statement, or acted contrary to the definition of "evangelical", or been part of a "Protestant" church?
"In 1648, the first printing of the Larger and Shorter Catechisms of the Westminster Assembly were made available for distribution and sale in England and Scotland. They remain the clearest expressions of Reformed Protestantism ever formulated..."- May 13, This Week in Religion History
The word “evangelical” is an informal term not a title, like the word “conservative,” hence one cannot point to one accepted definition.
It originally applied to the first followers of Luther in the 16th Century. In the 20th Century it was resurrected after World War II, by folks like Bill Bright, Billy Graham, Carl Henry and the original editors of Christianity Today, as an alternative to the word “fundamentalist” which at that time was increasingly taken up by more extreme, legalistic, independent churches (like those associated with say, Bob Jones University).
The word “fundamentalist” was first applied in the early 20th century after a series of pamphlets called “The Fundamentals” was published, in an attempt to distinguish between those who accepted basic, orthodox, creedal Christianity (with a literal virgin birth, and a literal resurrection, literal miracles, etc.) and those who did not...(like many in the seminaries of 100 years ago). Unfortunately “fundamentalist” got taken over by the most extreme & narrow of the orthodox—hence the move to use the word “evangelical.”
This post WWII usage of “evangelical” generally meant people, inside and outside of the mainline denominations, who believed in the inerrancy and authority of holy Scripture, the priority of the Great Commission and evangelism (hence the Billy Graham connection), and usually—from it’s pietist heritage, the importance of a mature, personal commitment to the Lord, or a born-again experience.
Most of the mainlines even by the early 1970s weren’t dreaming of ordaining active homosexuals, but there was significant toleration for those (like Spong or Tillich) who denied the essentials (or fundamentals...) of the faith —hence, the beginnings of such denominations as the PCA, and the growth of more conservative Bible Churches or other non-denominational, culturally conservative, self-consciously “evangelical” groups.
Even today, except in Lutheran circles (where the word “evangelical” has an historic attachment), you will very rarely find a church which calls itself “evangelical” which will support sodomy, abortion, antisemitism...or other Leftist causes. Churches that are left on social issues are almost always (but not quite) mainline denominational churches—since ALL the mainlines (with the exception of the Southern Baptists, and the LCMS Lutherans) do, as a denomination—promote the above left social issues.
On the issue of women’s ordination, evangelicals are divided—”conservative evangelicals” are generally complementarian (no to women pastors), while others who call themselves evangelical—including especially Pentacostal/Charismatic groups—may well promote women’s ordination (egalitarian).
Evangelicals are also divided on whether or not charismatic gifts (tongues, prophesy, healings) are proper for today.
Muddying the water further today also we have “emergent” churches...which typically are independent, and led by disaffected ex-evangelicals (e.g. Rob Bell, Brian McLaren). The best description I’ve heard for the Emergents is that they are to post-modernism, what liberal Christianity (Spong, Tillich) was to modernism. Many Emergents still cling to the term “evangelical” even though they do not really accept the inerrancy and authority of scripture....
So while the term is increasingly muddied and difficult to use—since so many want to claim it, “evangelical” still does have usefulness—for those Christians that honor the authority of the Word of God, the primacy of evangelism, and the importance of personal commitment & relationship to Christ.