Denominational plurality with a common identity

What it is: Evangelicalism brings together people and churches from distinct denominational traditions that share common emphases.

How the religion understands: This common identity does not eliminate differences about sacraments, church government, spiritual gifts, eschatology, and ethics. Still, many evangelicals recognize mutual affinity around the gospel, the Bible, and mission.

Context: Congresses, alliances, publishers, schools, missions, and cooperation networks helped consolidate this transdenominational character.

Supportive

Bebbington Quadrilateral

evangelicalism,bebbington,history,identity

Classic academic formulation of the marks of evangelicalism.

Reference: Historiographical formulation by David Bebbington.
Content: The model summarizes evangelicalism through conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism.
Use in debate: It is very useful for describing the movement academically without reducing it to a single denomination.

John 17:20-21

bible,unity,evangelicalism,church

Unity among believers.

Reference: John 17:20-21.
Content: Jesus prays for the unity of those who will believe in him.
Use in debate: It is relevant for the transdenominational character of evangelicalism and for networks of evangelical cooperation.

Neutral

The Augsburg Confession

confession,protestantism,lutheranism,reformation

Foundational document of Lutheranism and the magisterial Reformation.

Reference: Augsburg Confession, 1530.
Content: The document summarizes Lutheran and Reformation doctrinal positions on several central themes.
Use in debate: It is important as an example of Protestant confessional diversity already in the sixteenth century.

Westminster Confession 25.2

confession,westminster,church,protestantism

Text on the visible Church and its scope.

Reference: Westminster Confession, chapter 25, section 2.
Content: The text describes the visible Church in Reformed confessional terms.
Use in debate: It helps show the confessional and denominational self-organization of historic Protestantism.