Speaking Evangelical

I wonder whether one of the evangelical movement’s greatest strengths is also its greatest weakness.

A recent visit by our new bishop brought this to mind. His sermon touched on the fundamentals of faith: the need for repentance, the love of God, the importance of prayer and Bible study. He expressed himself in very simple, unadorned, forthright language.

That’s the strength. Evangelical language has a way of cutting through the clutter. There is a back-to-basics feel about it that those of us who “think too much” can probably use from time to time. And have used: when asked to sum up his towering theology in one sentence, Karl Barth is reputed to have said, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

However…

As my sister-in-law says, “Words mean things.” Language clearly shapes our outlook. When you use simple language exclusively, it’s easy to start thinking that the whole world is simple.

Of course, it’s not. And that’s the limitation I’m seeing in evangelical language: it doesn’t seem to have the depth or complexity to address life’s gray matters and thornier issues. Like whether there’s a middle ground between biblical literalism and total disregard of the scriptures. Like how God can love everyone unconditionally and yet (seemingly) require a response before extending his mercy. Those issues call for more nuance, more subtlety, more complexity in one’s vocabulary.

Maybe that goes back to yet another simple aphorism: if your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail. Lord help us to fill out our toolbox.