More on Evangelical Identity

Here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/18/opinion/the-evangelical-rejection-of-reason.html?_r=1
Quotable

Like other evangelicals, we accept the centrality of faith in Jesus Christ and look to the Bible as our sacred book, though we find it hard to recognize our religious tradition in the mainstream evangelical conversation. Evangelicalism at its best seeks a biblically grounded expression of Christianity that is intellectually engaged, humble and forward-looking. In contrast, fundamentalism is literalistic, overconfident and reactionary.
Fundamentalism appeals to evangelicals who have become convinced that their country has been overrun by a vast secular conspiracy; denial is the simplest and most attractive response to change. They have been scarred by the elimination of prayer in schools; the removal of nativity scenes from public places; the increasing legitimacy of abortion and homosexuality; the persistence of pornography and drug abuse; and acceptance of other religions and of atheism.

My friend Tom added this thought:

… evangelicals don’t just need to repent for their neglect
of the mind, but also their neglect of the heart (silence on a broad
range of social justice issues, here and abroad). For example, there
hasn’t been much of an outcry among mainstream evangelical leaders on
income inequality and job loss in the U.S., or when one of our Drone
fired hellcat missles happens to kill an innocent child while
targeting a terrorist.