What does the Evangelical Network mean by “evangelical”?

At the EJUSA Evangelical Network we rightly get asked what we mean by ‘evangelical.’ Or, as it’s often put, with raised eyebrows, “Hmm. What kind of evangelical are you?”

There are 100 million self-identified evangelicals in this country, so this word means many things to many people.

The word “evangelical” has its roots in the Greek word evangelion, which means the “good news.” For Christians, it refers to the good news that Jesus came, lived, died, rose from the dead, and that he has defeated Satan, sin, and death.

Evangelicals emphasize the cross of Jesus, the need for conversion, a high view of the Bible, and a strong belief in loving our neighbor, or, that “faith without deeds is dead.”  Evangelicals have always been concerned about our neighbors who are “the least of these”: the poor, the hungry, and those who are in prison.

The EJUSA Evangelical Network works to situate ourselves within this movement. Rather than leaning into the exclusively political or openly partisan threads, the Evangelical Network spans across many constituencies, ideas, and identities in order to hold together a common interest in finding ways to respond to violence that center wellbeing and restoration rather than control, punishment, or fear.  

We are rooted in the good news of Jesus, and that compels us to stand for justice and to care for those in prison and those who have experienced harm, two groups that are routinely marginalized. It is to these neighbors that we offer the invitation of experiencing healing after harm through the reconciling work of Jesus alongside the restorative work of his people.

You can read more about how the EJUSA Evangelical Network thinks about evangelicalism in these articles from the National Association of Evangelicals – “What Is an Evangelical?” and “Evangelical: What’s in a Name?” – and more of our biblical approach to justice in two resources we’ve made: The Church & Justice – A Tool for Churches and A Theology of Our Platform.