Deconstructing Evangelicalism

Deconstructing - (verb used with object) to break down into constituent parts; dissect; dismantle.

1) To break down into components; to dismantle.
2) To write about or analyze (a literary text, for instance) following the tenets of deconstruction.

Source: Dictionary.com

For most of us evangelicalism is as common as the air we breathe. If pressed, we would have a hard time defining it because most of the time we only know it in contrast to other traditions - Mainline liberal Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Mormonism, Judaism, etc.

A few days ago I listened to an interesting interview of Dr. Daryl Hart concerning the book he wrote, Deconstructing Evangelicalism. He is a ruling elder in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. Here are some of the things covered in the interview:

- What is an evangelical?
- What is the difference between an evangelical and a fundamentalist?
- Should confessional denominations be considered evangelical?
- What is the evangelical doctrine of the church?
- What is the evangelical doctrine of worship?
- What is the evangelical view of church membership?
- Is the term 'evangelical' useful anymore?

This is an important subject worthy of additional study. Click here to listen to the interview. You might want to keep pen and paper handy to jot down authors and titles of some must-read books.