Does anyone else find it odd re: white "evangelical" Protestants

[All Along The Watchtower]

...that they have become the symbol of "conservative" Christianity in the contemporary American political/religious intersection?

I mean, I understand some of the historical and cultural reasons for this, but it just seems kinda funny that, especially when compared to Catholicsm, Orthodox Christianity, or even the "mainline" Protestant denominations, it was the collective of diverse, incredibly modern/contemporary in approach and focus, and young groups known as " evangelicals" that became the main manifestation of "conservative" Christianity.

I guess in America, simple Protestant individualism without much of an emphasis on intellectualism, tradition, or the Social Gospel, and a huge emphasis on converting the (increasingly numerous) faithless is going to look very conservative in effect, even though the roots are quite different from more traditional religious conservatives.
 

[Oldiesfreak1854]

When I think of "evangelical," I think more of evangelists and ministers.  From a political standpoint, I prefer the term "religious conservative."

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Since when would lack of emphasis in tradition lead someone to conservatism? Heralding "tradition" is one of the hallmarks of conservatism.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Well, to be fair, in the political press and on this site over the last 10 years or so, "Evangelical" has become a synonym for "More Devout" while "Mainline" has become a synonym for "Less Devout", which is a huge oversimplification, and not even a very accurate one.

[DC Al Fine]

There's two reasons IMO

1) Evangelicals are the largest conservative group, and they seem to be the most politically active. Orthodox Jews, Conservative mainlines, Mormons etc, are all smaller groups. Catholics are a varied group and the Bishops seem less into promoting conservative politics than say Jerry Falwell.

2) There are issues where other groups are much more conservative than Evangelicals, but those tend to be either theological or not on the political spectrum, so the media is more likely to focus on Evangelicals. The media is less likely to cover Calvinists lambasting evangelical prosperity theology or Catholics attacking divorce, so Evangelicals appear more conservative.

[ingemann]

I think the primary reasons for this is what conservatism translate to in USA.

In Europe conservatism have traditional been a communitarian movement with a high degree of social responsibility.

While in USA conservatism translate to "I got mine and the Devil take the hindmost".

For religious groups which push social responsibility like Catholics, the American conservative approach may seem worse than the godless liberals, who at least seem to care about their fellow man.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Since when would lack of emphasis in tradition lead someone to conservatism? Heralding "tradition" is one of the hallmarks of conservatism.

Which is the point of the question.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Since when would lack of emphasis in tradition lead someone to conservatism? Heralding "tradition" is one of the hallmarks of conservatism.

Which is the point of the question.

Look what he says in the ending paragraph:

I guess in America, simple Protestant individualism without much of an emphasis on intellectualism, tradition, or the Social Gospel, and a huge emphasis on converting the (increasingly numerous) faithless is going to look very conservative in effect, even though the roots are quite different from more traditional religious conservatives.

[barfbag]

How you're saying it, it's different from American politics, but in terms of church history it's not at all the status quo. Really the Protestant churches have developed their own structure to the point of establishment though. After the reformation, they weren't exactly "protestant."

[TJ in Oregon]

A good part of how we've defined Evangelical and Mainline is based on politics. For instance, why are the LCMS and WELS considered Evangelical? They aren't any more low-church or Calvinist than the ELCA, which is considered Mainline. The definition is set up to make it that way.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Well, here's my little theory.  Wasn't the Protestant revolution mainly a reaction to the bureaucracy between man and God that the Catholic Church represented?  Protestants cut right to the chase, so to speak.  Catholics have all those rules, and the hierarchies, and the confessions, and the crackers/wine, etc.  Not to mention that Catholicism tends to be "inherited" (as in, my parents are Catholic, so I'm Catholic, whether or not I practice) in a way that Protestant denominations are not.  You always see older people being baptized into Protestant faiths because you have to declare Jesus as your savior; you aren't just "born in" like the Catholics.  The end result of all this is that Catholics don't have quite the "requirements" and have plenty of distractions from the actual tenants of the faith, unlike the Protestants who, as I said, jump right into the Biblical text. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Not to mention that Catholicism tends to be "inherited" (as in, my parents are Catholic, so I'm Catholic, whether or not I practice)

Um, there's hordes of people with Catholic parents who don't feel that way.

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Not to mention that Catholicism tends to be "inherited" (as in, my parents are Catholic, so I'm Catholic, whether or not I practice)

Um, there's hordes of people with Catholic parents who don't feel that way.

My point is there are plenty of people who DO feel that way.  Certainly more on the Catholic side than the Protestant. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

The percentage of Americans raised Catholic who are still Catholic is actually lower than the percentage raised Protestant who are still Protestant, though not if you don't count those who are not the same kind of Protestant.

Around 66% of Americans raised Catholic are still Catholic
Around 80% of Americans raised Protestant are still Protestant.