Thursday, November 12, 2026

It is the 12th of November 2026. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Having done this show for 7 years, approaching 3000 episodes, I have found that some of you are very interested in the details of how the show is made- a lot of those questions come in… others of you, I’m sure… could care less how the sausage is made- you’re here for a story and then the benediction to get your day going… all are welcome. For those in the former group, I could tell you the story about how I tried to bank a few shows in order to take a few days off after a torrid season. And in doing so, I wrote a show for today that, towards the end, started sounding familiar… if you were really hoping to hear about Frederick Muhlenberg, go check out the great new search function at 1517 and find that show. And so, we get an emergency mailbag- and a question that came in, but I forgot to drag over to the right folder… enough backstory. My man Greg from the Bay Area here in California wrote in. Greg and his wife Allison joined me on my GTI trip in Germany and Switzerland- and hope to join me in England and Scotland soon (you all should sign up for it now at GTItours.org). Greg had a question that came from listening to various podcasts here on the 1517 network and wanted a little clarity. It’s a good question about terms,

 

He writes: “The terms are Reformers, The Reformed, and The Evangelicals. From context alone it seems as if the Reformers are Luther, Calvin, et al. The Reformed seem to be the modern churches descended from Calvin. Are the Evangelicals modern Protestant non-denominational?”

 

Like spelling and pronunciation, we are living in a world of custom and preference. God did not drop a handbook of proper terminology from heaven.

 

“The Reformers”, when talking about the Reformation, is a catch-all for the various leaders of Protestant groups. We could speak of “Catholic Reformers” like Loyola… but generally we mean Protestant Leaders. “Lutheran,” at least historically, is the most clear-cut. It is those in the tradition formed out of Luther but specifically from the Lutheran Confessions. Either the Augsburg Confession alone or the Book of Concord and its writings.

 

“Reformed” is tricky. Many Lutherans use it as a catch-all for “Protestant- not Lutheran”. I wish they would cut that out. There are many “Reformed” confessions- the genesis is Calvin but follows confessions like the Helvetic, the Belgic, and the Westminster. I think using the confessions as guides for terminology is more helpful than the thought of one person.

 

Now- what’s an “Evangelical”… perhaps a wax nose that can be tweaked to mean a lot of things. BUT, Luther himself liked the term. The Reformers liked to speak of themselves as in the footsteps of those “early evangelicals”- or “good news people”. In Germany “Evangelische” generally meant Protestant of the Lutheran variety (although the merger with the “Reformed” has made that tricky).

 

Of course, the “Evangelical Lutheran Church of America”… how evangelical? How Lutheran? In my experience, you’ve got to go to the churches to know. In certain circles I’ll refer to myself as “generally Evangelical” and in those contexts it means I have a high view of Scripture, put a personal faith in Jesus as central, and I tend towards a lower church, more congregational-led ecclesiology.

 

So, “Lutheran” tends to be the most steady. “Reformed” is more broad- but Protestant and generally Calvinist in theology, and “Evangelical” can mean “non-denominational,” which tends to be the fruit of the Jesus People movement of the 60s and 70s- generally low church but with little oversight from above, can go in all kinds of directions.

 

I think we do well to use labels- we have to on some level, but then use them to ask pointed questions about theology and practice and realize that one of the consequences of the Reformation is a decentralization which makes everything harder to classify- but such is the work of shows like this… I hope? I’ve heard some rumblings recently about Contemporary vs. Liturgical debates that I stay out of… but who knows… maybe send me a question about that some time and if I’m feeling brave… well.. I’m off to mourn this dumb football season and all my favorite players being hurt… I blame Australia.

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and Psalm 123:

I lift up my eyes to you,
 to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master,
 as the eyes of a female slave look to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
 till he shows us his mercy.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us,
 for we have endured no end of contempt.

We have endured no end
 of ridicule from the arrogant,
 of contempt from the proud.

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 12th of November 2026 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by the man of the church of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession- 120 proof Lutheranism… he is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who… just… a jet sweep on the last play with the only receiver your QB trusts who's already banged up? I’m Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.