Who (or What) is an Evangelical? - Part 10

Are there Evangelical Catholics?  Though many would deny such a meshing of terms, the short answer is yes, there are Evangelical Catholics.  What may surprise many is that Protestants choose to describe themselves as such.

Most prominent are some Lutherans who expressly describe themselves as Evangelical Catholics.  This has both historical roots, as well as more recent developments.

Historically, the Gnesio (from a Greek word meaning authentic) Lutherans defended Luther's early views, and emphasized the Catholic roots of Lutheranism.  They tended to emphasize the following statements from the Augsburg Confession (a central early document in the Lutheran tradition).

Presentation of the Augsburg Confession

This is about the Sum of our Doctrine, in which, as can be seen, there is nothing that varies from the Scriptures, or from the Church Catholic, or from the Church of Rome as known from its writers, . . .
And:
Inasmuch, then, as our churches dissent in not article of the faith from the Church Catholic, . . .

As well as:
Only those things have been recounted whereof we thought that it was necessary to speak, in order that it might be understood that in doctrine and ceremonies nothing has been received on our part against Scripture or the Church Catholic.

The Genesio-Lutherans took great pains to show that Lutheranism was a continuation of the Catholic Church.  They emphasized Evangelical as a continuation of the gospel tradition.

More recently, many Lutherans prefer the term Evangelical Catholic in preference to the term, High Church Lutheranism, especially since, as I mentioned in a previous post, Lutherans early on tended to describe themselves as Evangelicals.

However, not only Lutherans, but other Protestants describe themselves as Evangelical Catholics.  In recent years, this includes Methodists, Reformed (Presbyterians), as well as Episcopalians/Anglicans.  As far back as 1851, an Episcopal published a periodical called, "The Evangelical Catholic."  Others use the term to emphasize they are Evangelical, but maintain their Catholicity.

Yet, there are also Catholics who use the term, "Evangelical Catholics" - something I will explore in the next part of my parallel series, "Who (or What) is a Catholic (or a catholic)?"

Back to Part 9
Over to Who (or What) is a Catholic (or a catholic)? - Intro