Confused about evangelical beliefs

[Jenny A]

Evangelicalism is a word everyone is confused about because the meaning seems to be changing. It used to just mean Christianity with the emphasis on salvation through belief (rather than works) and atonement; a heavy reliance on the bible as authority; and an emphasis on preaching as opposed to ritual (less candles and communions more sermons). Think Methodists.

Now, it's looking more and more like fundamentalism which is all of the above plus a strict, literal, interpretation of the bible. It's that last bit that causes abominations like creationism. Think Southern Baptist.

---- The reason they don't all agree with each other is that the Bible isn't the clearest instruction book there ever was.