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Christian vs Evangelical - What's the difference?

christian | evangelical |

As nouns the difference between christian and evangelical

is that christian is a believer in Christianity while evangelical is a member of an evangelical church.

As adjectives the difference between christian and evangelical

is that christian is of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians while evangelical is pertaining to the gospel(s) of the Christian New Testament.

As a proper noun Christian

is a given name derived from Ancient Greek found in England since the twelfth century.

christian

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A believer in Christianity.
  • * 2008 , Christopher Catherwood, Making War in the Name of God, Page 188
    • thousands of people have been killed in recent years in violence between Muslims and Christians .
  • * 1997', Anne Field, ''From darkness to light: how one became a '''Christian in the early church (ISBN 1888212063)
  • An individual who seeks to live his or her life according to the principles and values taught by Jesus Christ.

    • Hypernyms

    * religionist, theist, Abrahamist, People of the Book

    Hyponyms

    * Christianist

    Coordinate terms

    *

    Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • found in England since the twelfth century.
  • of medieval usage, rare today.

    • Related terms

    * feminine forms: Christiana, Christina, Christine

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Christianity or Christians.
  • (not comparable) Of, like or relating to Jesus Christ.
  • Kind, charitable; moral; (a term of approbation).
    • That's very Christian of you.
  • * 1824 , Susan Ferrier, The Inheritance
    • I cannot help thinking there are people in the world who are very tiresome, very impertinent, and very disagreeable; yet, I don't think it would be a very Christian act were I to tell them so.
  • * 1854 , Nathaniel James Merriman, The Kafir, the Hottentot, and the frontier farmer (page 74)
    • I must say I have seen him do a very Christian act at the Fish River. Some Kafir women were there eating; he begged of them; they refused to give him any food. I gave him some of the victuals we were enjoying, and he instantly broke the bread, and gave of it to these very Kafir women who had just refused any of theirs.
  • * 1859 , David W. Belisle, The American family Robinson (page 290)
    • "Besides this," said the trapper, "it is hardly a Christian act to leave these two men to perish by the hands of the savages
  • * 1867 , Henry Shepheard, Ithuriel's spear; or, Is this Christianity? (page 118)
    • So, in his esteem, an auto da fé'' — an "act of faith," as the words mean — is ''really an act of faith — an act of such faith as the author of "Ecce Homo" approves — a most Christian act — a most humane act
  • * 1867? , Janet Robertson, Christine; or, Common-Place People
    • I have only been at home two days, and here I am come on the third to see you and Tiny, so it is not Christian of you — as my mother would say — to receive your dutiful grand-nephew in such an unkind manner
  • * 1981 , Mary Leader, Salem's Children , ISBN 084390982X, page 82
    • "Why should I? It's very Christian of you." "People here do not think of me as a Christian, Mitti." "I'd call it Christian charity," I floundered. "You think Christians have a monopoly on charity?" she asked. "Well, no," I stammered.
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    • Usage notes

    Use of the term "Christian" in the generalised approbative sense "kind, moral" may offend non-Christians. (See also the pejorative use of "Jew".)

    Synonyms

    * (kind) charitable, helpful, kind, neighborly/neighbourly, sweet (informal)

    Antonyms

    * (of or relating to Christianity or Christians) agnostic, atheist, heathen, non-Christian, pagan * corrupt, immoral, improper, unjust, savage

    Derived terms

    * Christian name

    Related terms

    * Christ * Christianity * Christianize * cretin

    See also

    * Catholic * fundamentalist * Jew * messiah * Mormon * Muslim * New Testament * Old Testament * Protestant

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    evangelical

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Pertaining to the gospel(s) of the Christian New Testament
  • Pertaining to the doctrines or teachings of the Christian gospel or Christianity in general.
  • Protestant; specifically, designating European churches which were originally Lutheran rather than Calvinist.
  • Pertaining to a movement in Protestant Christianity that stresses personal conversion and the authority of the Bible (evangelicalism).
  • Pertaining to Islamic groups that are dedicated to dawah and preaching the Quran and sunnah.
  • * 1987 , Yvonne Yazbeck Haddad, Islamic Values in the United States: A Comparative Study , Page 10
    • When the mosque came under the influence of an evangelical Muslim group (Jamaati Tableegh), the formerly congenial situation changed noticeably.
  • Zealously enthusiastic.

    • Antonyms

    * nonevangelical

    Synonyms

    * evangelic

    Usage notes

    While evangelical may have all above meanings, it is often used now for meanings 4-5. Evangelic has only the meanings 1-3 and is now used often to differentiate these meanings from evangelicalism.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A member of an evangelical church
  • An advocate of evangelicalism

    • Related terms

    * antievangelical * evangelicalism * evangelism * evangelistic