The term evangelical has several distinct meanings:

• In its original sense, it means "belonging or related to the Gospel" (Greek: euangelion - good news) of the New Testament.

• In mainland Europe, especially in the German and Scandanavian countries, 'Evangelisch' ('Evangelical') is a general designation for churches adhering to beliefs of the Reformation (otherwise known as Protestantism) e.g. Evangelical Lutheran Church, Evangelical Reformed Church, or Evangelical Methodist Church, in contrast to Catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches. In this sense, it comprises everything from a liberal state church to a conservative free church in the Baptist or Pietist tradition.
  • However, in German there are now two words used which are commonly translated 'evangelical': 'evangelisch' meaning Protestant, and more narrowly the Lutheran and Reformed churches, and 'evangelikal', pertaining to evangelicalism. In Austria, the United Lutheran and
    
    
    
    Reformed Church (Evangelische Kirche in Oesterreich) claims a monopoly on the former term and has in the past sued independent churches using the designation "evangelisch".

• In the United States and the UK, it most often refers to adherents of evangelicalism. However, with certain US churches that descend from mainland Europe, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (or with some congregations of the United Church of Christ that maintain 'evangelical' in their name), the word maintains that European meaning specified above (i.e. 'evangelical' essentially equaling 'Protestant')

• In South America the word evangelical is often used as synonymous of 'pentecostal'.

• Among those who do not adhere to evangelicalism, it is sometimes confused with evangelist, or evangelistic, especially when evangelism is practised assertively or aggressively.

See also

• Church cell
• Evangelist
• Televangelism
• Evangelicalism
• Protestantism
• Evangelical Movement of Wales

福音派