Lutherans and Evangelicals Then and Now/ Review Article: The Boundaries of Evangelicalism I + II

Abstract

John F. Brug examines the evolving relationship between confessional Lutheranism and Evangelicalism, highlighting theological divergence and internal fragmentation within the Evangelical movement. He traces historical distinctions between Lutherans and Reformed Protestants, noting how Evangelicalism has shifted from its mid-20th-century roots to embrace broader doctrinal diversity. Brug critiques post-conservative Evangelicals for relativizing Scripture, weakening the law-gospel distinction, and redefining core doctrines such as the atonement. He warns that Evangelicalism’s expanding boundaries now include views that deny penal substitution and biblical inerrancy, threatening the integrity of the gospel itself. Brug argues that while Lutherans are evangelical in their gospel focus, they are not Evangelicals in the modern, doctrinally fluid sense. His analysis calls for discernment and fidelity to Scripture amid pressures to accommodate cultural and theological trends. Generated by Microsoft Copilot (GPT-4).