What Does It Mean to Be Evangelical?
I had coffee with a former church member a few months back. We caught up on life, my conversion to Catholicism, and a bunch of other things. At one point, he said something that made me pause: “You know, a lot of Catholics are evangelicals.” That got me thinking—what do we even mean by the word evangelical?
For many people, it’s a loaded term. Some associate it with a particular type of Christian theology, while others think of it as a political label. But at its core, evangelical simply means someone who is focused on the good news—the gospel. And that idea, while often tied to Protestantism, actually goes much deeper and crosses denominational lines.
The Pietists: A Heartfelt Faith
To understand modern evangelicalism, you have to go back to the Pietists. They were a group of 17th-century Lutherans who thought Christianity had become too stale and routine. Faith wasn’t just about showing up to church or following the rules—it needed to be personal and transformative.
A guy named Philipp Jakob Spener kicked off the movement. He wrote a book called Pia Desideria that emphasized small group Bible studies, prayer, and living out your faith in everyday life. Pietists were all about moving from “head knowledge” to “heart knowledge.”
How They Inspired John Wesley (and the Great Awakening)
The Pietists didn’t stop with their own churches—they influenced others, too. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, picked up a lot from their ideas. He met a group of Moravians (a Pietist-influenced group) on a ship to America and was blown away by their deep, personal faith.
Wesley brought that focus on conversion and holiness back to England, and it became a key part of his movement. This same energy spilled over into the Great Awakening, a series of revivals that shaped Christianity in the 18th century. Wesley’s big takeaway? Faith isn’t inherited—it’s personal.
Personal Choice vs. State Churches
This idea of personal faith was radical at the time. In Europe, most people were part of state churches—your religion was basically decided for you by where you were born. Evangelicals pushed back on that, saying faith couldn’t be forced; it had to be freely chosen.
This emphasis on personal choice became a hallmark of evangelicalism, with preachers calling people to respond to the gospel in a way that was deeply personal and life-changing.
Personal Faith Isn’t a New Idea
Some people assume the idea of a personal relationship with Jesus started with the Protestant Reformation or movements like Pietism. But that’s not true. The Catholic tradition has always included deeply personal expressions of faith.
Think about the saints:
• St. Augustine poured out his heart to God in Confessions, wrestling with sin and grace in a way that feels so raw and real.
• St. Francis of Assisi gave up everything to follow Jesus, living a life of radical love and trust.
• St. Teresa of Ávila described her prayer life as an intimate conversation with Christ, almost like sitting with a close friend.
Personal faith isn’t something Catholics had to “rediscover” from Protestantism—it’s always been there.
So, Are Catholics Evangelical?
In a way, yes. At its core, being evangelical is about sharing the good news of Jesus. And Catholics do that too, even if they don’t always use the same language.
The real beauty is that the Catholic Church combines this personal faith with a deep sense of community and tradition. You’re not just having a one-on-one relationship with Jesus; you’re part of something bigger—His Church.
That coffee conversation reminded me that evangelicalism, at its best, is about living and sharing the gospel. And that’s something Catholics and Protestants can both celebrate. After all, the good news is for everyone.
