拥有多个房间的家庭： 了解新教和福音派基督徒

。在古老的祷告、丰富的赞美诗和神圣的圣礼中，他们感受到与那些先于他们而去的“如云彩般的见证人”之间强有力的联系。³⁴ 教会年历的节奏——待降节、圣诞节、大斋节、复活节——为他们的一年提供了神圣的结构，将他们的生活扎根于基督的故事中。对于那些觉得之前的信心过于新颖或过于注重情感的人来说，这种与历史的联系可以起到深刻的定心和滋养作用。

让我们一起踏上一段旅程。 让我们抛开我们认为我们所知道的，我们在心中可能形成的判断，以及我们可能遭受的伤害。 這不是決定誰是對的，誰是錯的旅程，因為這是只屬於真主的審判。 相反，这是一次心灵的旅程，一种理解的朝圣。 我們尋求用基督的眼光看我們的弟兄姊妹，了解他們的故事，感受激動他們信仰的熱情，並看到同樣的聖靈如何在我們自己的生活中移動，即使以不同的方式。

想象一下，我们共同的基督教信仰是一棵伟大而古老的树，其根深在耶路撒冷的土壤中。 它最强大的分支之一是新教。 从那个分支，一个充满活力，更新的树枝已经成长，我们称之为福音主义。 要理解树枝，我们必须首先了解它生长的树枝。 让我们一起走，耐心和慈善，探索我们一个基督徒家庭的美丽，复杂，有时痛苦的现实。

第一部分： 了解我们共同的遗产

要了解我们的家庭，我们必须先了解它的历史。 我们今天使用的名字不是在真空中诞生的。 他们带着几个世纪的信仰，斗争和对上帝的热情爱的故事。 通过轻轻解开这些话的历史，我们可以开始消除混乱，以更大的清晰和同情心看到对方。

做新教徒是什么意思？

。他们被那些向所有人敞开怀抱的教会所吸引，无论其种族、背景或性取向如何。³⁵ 他们发现，信心不仅关乎个人的救恩，更关乎积极参与上帝医治和救赎世界的工作。他们在一个热衷于关怀穷人、欢迎陌生人和保护上帝创造之物的群体中找到了喜乐。³⁵

这段旅程并不总是简单的。作家 Rachel Held Evans 在离开福音派后，在圣公会找到了一个充满爱的家，她诚实地写道，她有时会怀念福音派成长背景中那种“满腔热忱”的激情和深入的圣经研读。³² 她的故事提醒我们，没有任何传统是完美的，我们的属灵旅程往往是复杂的。但对许多人来说，他们在主流教派中发现的那种温柔、宽广且富有怜悯的信心，正是他们回到上帝身边所需的恩典。

简单的回答是否定的。在美国，“福音派”与“主流教派”之间有时划定的清晰界限，在世界其他地方往往会变得模糊甚至完全消失。

• 正如我们所见，在欧洲的许多地方，“福音派”一词仅仅意味着“新教”，这是宗教改革时期的直接遗产。² (Grace Alone)： 我们得救的是上帝的慈爱，而不是我们自己的优点。
• ——在拉丁美洲、非洲和亚洲——那里的基督教正以惊人的速度增长。³⁶ 在这里，信心呈现出的面貌往往与西方许多人所习惯的大不相同。非洲和拉丁美洲的教会通常在激情和虔诚方面具有深厚的“福音派”色彩。他们具有灵恩色彩，对圣灵的能力、神迹、神医以及圣经的直接权威有着充满活力的信仰。³⁷ 他们的敬拜充满了生命力和热忱。 (Faith Alone)： 我們只因信耶穌基督而獲得這恩典。
• 。³⁷ 对他们来说，福音不仅关乎拯救来世的灵魂，还关乎将上帝的医治、公义和盼望带给今生的受苦者。他们认为，充满激情的个人信心与为穷人和受压迫者进行的不懈奋斗之间并无冲突。例如，在拉丁美洲，这种充满活力的信心通常也与在家庭和道德问题上的坚定文化保守主义相结合。⁴⁰ (In Christ Alone)： 耶稣基督是我们唯一的调停者和救主。
• 基督复临安息日会的官方信仰声明确认：“有一位上帝：圣父、圣子和圣灵，是三个永恒共存位格的统一体”。⁸³ 这一声明与历史性基督教会经的核心确认相一致，例如尼西亚信经，它是天主教神学的基石。⁸⁴ 两个传统都相信这三个神圣位格为了人类的救恩而完美和谐地工作，扮演着不同但统一的角色：圣父作为慈爱的源头和创造者，圣子作为道成肉身的救主和救赎主，圣灵作为内在的引导者和成圣者。⁸³ 單獨的經典： 圣经是我们信仰和生活的最高权威。
• 在历史悠久的主流新教教派中。几十年来，他们的人数一直在萎缩。⁴¹ 2007年，约有18% 的美国成年人认同主流教会；到2023-24年，这一数字已降至11% 。⁴³ 一些观察家认为，这可能是因为这些教会在努力做到开放和包容的高尚尝试中，有时未能提供足够独特且引人入胜的信心愿景，以在这个日益世俗化的世界中留住其成员，尤其是年轻人。⁴⁴ 為了獨自神的榮耀： 所有的生命都是为神的荣耀而活的。

我们的福音派弟兄姊妹的人数则相对稳定。他们占人口的比例仅略有下降，从2007年的约26% 降至2023-24年的23% 。⁴¹ 这部分是因为他们在留住那些在信仰中长大的人以及欢迎新信徒方面更为成功。⁴⁵ 但福音派群体也面临着自身巨大的挑战。“福音派”这个词本身在公众心目中已与政治深度挂钩，对于许多圈外人来说，它现在带有负面含义。⁴⁶ 对于许多只希望因爱耶稣而为人所知的福音派信徒来说，这是一个巨大的忧伤来源。

什么 是福音派吗？

“无宗教信仰者”的兴起 尤安格莱恩, ——即那些声称自己没有任何宗教信仰的人。这一群体显著增长，尤其是在年轻人中，目前约占美国人口的30% 。⁴¹ 这就是我们所有人被呼召去见证基督之爱的世界。

重要的是要理解马丁·路德自己用这个词来描述他的运动。 他称他的教会为 Evangelische Kirche我们信心的地理中心正在发生转移。预计到2040年，世界上半数的新教徒将居住在非洲。³⁶ 基督教的未来将更多地由拉各斯、圣保罗和马尼拉信徒的声音所塑造，而非伦敦或芝加哥。³⁷ 这不是恐惧的理由，而是充满喜乐的盼望。圣灵正在书写一个新篇章，这个故事将比以往任何时候都更加多样化、更具活力、更加全球化。这些新的基督教中心将正统信心与对穷人的深切关怀强有力地融合在一起，有很多值得西方老牌教会学习的地方。在上帝的摄理中，他们可能正是那些帮助我们弥合分歧、重新发现福音完整且综合力量的人。 埃文 · 埃文格尔, 普世教会合一运动 埃文格利施 。这是由圣灵启发的运动，呼吁所有基督徒为教会可见的合一而工作和祷告。⁴⁸ 这是对主耶稣基督自己在受难前夕祷告的回应：“使他们都合而为一。正如你父在我里面，我在你里面，使他们也在我们里面，叫世人可以信你差了我来。”⁴⁹ 我们的合一不是为了我们自己，而是为了这个世界，好让众人都能看到我们的爱，并被吸引到救主面前。

这段历史解释了一些经常让美国人感到困惑的事情。 你会发现大型的，历史悠久的新教教派，如 这种合一不仅是对未来的梦想，它已经发生在一些人所称的“战壕里的合一”中。⁴⁹ 在世界各地的城镇中，福音派、主流新教徒和天主教徒已经并肩而立。他们共同努力为饥饿者提供食物，为无家可归者提供住所，打击人口贩卖的罪恶，并关怀社会中最脆弱的成员。⁴⁹ 在这些共同的爱与怜悯的行为中，他们发现，将他们团结在一起的力量——他们对耶稣共同的爱以及服事“这些弟兄中最小的一个”的愿望——远比使他们产生分歧的力量更强大。Vangelical 》 L 个 Lutheran 的 C 个这种实际的合一可以建立信任的桥梁，使我们更艰难的对话成为可能。即使在最两极分化的问题上，如果我们有谦卑的心去寻找，通常也能找到共同点。例如，在关于堕胎的痛苦辩论中，双方通常都能在减少意外怀孕数量和支持陷入危机的女性这一共同目标上达成一致。⁵⁰ 两个传统都相信每个人的尊严，相信关爱上帝创造之物的呼召，以及教会在医治破碎世界中的重要作用。⁵⁰ 我们共同的洗礼和我们共同的承认——“耶稣是主”——是合一的根基，它比我们所能建造的任何隔断墙都更坚固。⁴⁹ 埃文格利舍 。我们必须有恩典去承认，没有任何一个传统、任何一个教派对上帝无限的奥秘拥有完美且完整的理解。⁵¹ 我们都有很多需要向彼此学习的地方。我们的福音派弟兄姊妹对圣经的热爱、分享信心的热忱以及对与耶稣建立个人化、活泼关系的强调，都能激励我们。我们的主流教派弟兄姊妹对社会公义的深切承诺、对知识探究的接纳，以及对一个彻底包容和欢迎之教会的愿景，都能挑战我们。当我们对上帝赐予祂大家庭其他成员的恩赐关上心门时，我们都会变得贫乏。

。很多时候，我们急于说话、评判和纠正。但爱要求我们首先保持沉默，并真正倾听弟兄或姊妹的心声。³⁵ 在我们自以为能为他们提供答案之前，我们必须寻求理解他们的故事、他们的喜乐和他们的伤痛。当我们以怜悯的心倾听时，我们就创造了一个圣灵可以作工的安全空间，医治旧伤并建立新的理解。

所有新教徒都是福音派吗？

那么，让我们带着更新的盼望从这段旅程出发。让我们看待每一位基督徒，无论他们自称为新教徒、福音派、天主教徒还是东正教徒，都不要把他们看作陌生人或对手，而是看作在基督里亲爱的弟兄姊妹。让我们祈求恩典，使我们能看透那些使我们分裂的标签，转而在彼此身上看到基督的面容。因为我们都是一个身体的肢体，是一位父亲的孩子，是通往永恒家园旅程上的同路人。愿世人看着我们说，不是“看这些基督徒如何争吵”，而是“看他们如何彼此相爱”。愿他们在看到我们的爱时，能认识我们的主耶稣基督那无限、联合且施行拯救的爱。阿们。

以这种方式思考也许是最有帮助的： 新教是基督教的广泛，历史分支，从宗教改革中发展而来。 福音派是一个强大的跨教派运动 在……之内 that Protestant branch.² It is not a single denomination itself a set of shared spiritual priorities and passions that can be found across many different denominations. You will find vibrant evangelical communities within Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, and many non-denominational churches.¹³

第二部分： 探索我们信仰的核心

Having gently cleared the soil of history, we can now look more closely at the beliefs that grow there. The differences between our Evangelical and Mainline Protestant brothers and sisters are not usually about the great, central truths of our faith—like the Trinity, or the divinity of Christ. On these, we are largely united. The differences are more often found in the 强调 重点 我们把某些信仰和我们生活的方式放在我们的社区。 让我们探索这些不同的重点，而不是作为争论点作为不同的方式来唱同一首赞美我们的主。

我们如何看待圣经？

主流新教徒和福音派都认为圣经是基督徒生活的神圣和基础文本。 对圣经的爱是一种共同的遗产。 区别在于他们如何接近其神圣的奥秘和人性。

我们福音派兄弟姐妹的共同强调是对圣经的深刻而有力的崇敬，因为它是受启发的，权威的，经常的。 无误 的—that is, without error in any of its claims—Word of God.³ This view sees the Bible as God’s direct and perfect revelation to humanity, a trustworthy guide in all matters of faith and life.¹⁷ This often leads to a more literal reading of its historical accounts, believing, for example, that the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis describes a literal, historical event.¹ For many evangelicals, the Bible is the final, objective word from God, a solid rock in a changing world.¹²

Our Mainline Protestant brothers and sisters also view the Bible as the inspired and authoritative Word of God they often emphasize that this divine word comes to us through human hands. They believe the Bible must be interpreted with the help of the God-given gifts of reason, the long tradition of the and the insights of modern historical and literary study.⁴ For them, the Bible

包含 神的话语和 成为 the Word of God for us as the Holy Spirit speaks to our hearts through its pages.¹² They see it as a sacred historical document that reveals God’s truth one that was shaped by the cultures and times in which it was written. Therefore, many in the mainline tradition would not insist on a literal interpretation of every story, seeing some as powerful metaphors or allegories that teach powerful truths about God and humanity.³

How Is a Person Saved by God’s Grace?

Here, too, we find a shared foundation: salvation is a gift of God’s grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. The difference is in how we describe the soul’s journey into that grace.

For many evangelicals, the heart of the Christian life is a personal, often datable, conversion experience.¹ This is what is often meant by being “born again”.¹⁷ It is a conscious moment of turning from sin and turning toward God, personally accepting Jesus Christ as one’s Lord and Savior.¹³ This is not just an intellectual agreement but a transformation of the heart that brings a deep and lasting assurance of one’s salvation.² Many evangelicals believe with a passionate conviction that this personal faith in Jesus is the

仅仅 way to be saved and receive eternal life.⁵

For many Mainline Protestants, the journey of salvation is often described less as a single, dramatic moment and more as a lifelong pilgrimage of faith.¹² It is a gradual process of growing in grace, nurtured within the community of the Church through baptism, worship, the sacraments, and service. Although they affirm that Jesus is the way to salvation, many in the mainline tradition are more open to the mystery of God’s grace, believing that its saving power might also reach people in other religious traditions in ways that we do not fully understand.⁴ They are less concerned with a specific moment of conversion and more focused on the ongoing spiritual transformation that unfolds over a lifetime.⁴

教会在世界上的使命是什么？

我们怎样才能活出我们对世界的信仰？ 这两种传统都深深地呼唤服侍神，他们往往优先考虑该使命的不同方面。

福音派的心經常以一種緊迫感跳動，為所謂的事物。 行动 主义—specifically, the work of evangelism and missions.⁵ The primary mission is to share the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ so that others may also have a personal, life-changing conversion experience.¹³ The focus is on the spiritual healing and transformation of individual souls, believing that changed hearts will ultimately change the world.²⁰

主线新教心脏经常以深深的激情跳动。 社会正义.⁴ The primary mission is to live out the Good News by embodying the compassion and justice of God’s kingdom here on earth. This means feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, caring for the poor and the oppressed, and working to reform the structures of society to be more just and peaceful.⁴ This is often called the “Social Gospel.” For them, spreading the word is a broad calling that includes not just preaching also acts of charity, community development, and advocating for the voiceless.¹²

当然，这两个任务不是敌人。 它们是同一只鸟的两只翅膀。 被耶稣改变的心自然会照顾穷人，为穷人服务的教会是耶稣爱的有力见证。

这些信念如何塑造我们的社区？

These different spiritual emphases naturally lead to different feelings and practices within local church communities. The historian David Bebbington has offered a helpful way to understand the core passions that often characterize the evangelical spirit. It is not a rigid checklist a “quadrilateral of priorities” that describes the heart of the movement.²³ These are

转换 主义 （专注于与基督一起改变生活的经历） 双 教 教 （对圣经的崇高敬意） 十字 教 教 （專注於耶穌在十字架上的拯救工作）和 行动 主义 (the drive to share the faith).⁵ These priorities shape a community that is often dynamic, passionate, and focused on personal spiritual growth.

下表对这些不同优先事项在教会生活中表达的常见方式进行了温和的比较。 這是一個簡單的指南，幫助我們理解，而不是判斷或刻板印象，因為聖靈在每一個呼召耶穌名的社區中以美麗和驚人的方式工作。

信仰与生活的主题	福音派共同强调	主要 新教 重点
圣经 ，	圣经是受启发的，无误的，对信仰和生活的最终权威，通常从字面上解释。	圣经是基督教信仰的灵感，主要来源和规范，在传统，理性和经验的帮助下解释。
通往 救赎 之路	A personal, transformative “born-again” experience is essential. Salvation is found exclusively through faith in Jesus Christ.5	A lifelong journey of faith and spiritual growth within the church. Often a more inclusive view on how God’s grace works in the world.4
The Church’s Mission	首要任务是传福音和传教工作，使个人对耶稣有拯救的信心。	The priority is social justice, service, and working to create a more just and compassionate society, reflecting God’s kingdom.4
崇拜 和 社区	当代崇拜音乐，非正式风格，以讲道为中心。 强调小团体和社区。	通常传统的赞美诗和礼仪，遵循更正式的结构和教会日历。 强调圣礼和社区仪式。
社会与道德问题	通常对LGBTQ +身份和女性在牧民领导中的角色等社会问题持更保守的观点。	Generally holds more progressive or “liberal” views, affirming of LGBTQ+ members and clergy, and having ordained women for decades.3

第三部分： 信仰 的 生活 体验

Theology can tell us what a church believes only the human heart can tell us what it feels like to live there. To truly understand our brothers and sisters, we must move beyond doctrines and listen to their stories—stories of powerful joy and, sometimes, of deep pain. For faith is not an idea; it is a lived reality. Let us now open our hearts to these personal testimonies, holding them with reverence and compassion, as one would hold a sacred trust.

做福音派的深度喜悅是什麼？

对于数以百万计的灵魂来说，福音派传统一直是生命，希望和强大的精神喜悦的源泉。 当我们聆听他们的故事时，我们听到了一种充满活力、个人化和深刻变革的信仰。

许多人谈论拥有一个令人难以置信的舒适。 与耶稣的个人关系. It is not a distant, formal religion an intimate friendship with a Savior who knows them by name and walks with them every day.²⁵ They speak of talking to Jesus with the ease and confidence of a beloved child speaking to a loving Father.²⁵ This personal connection is the bedrock of their spiritual life, a source of strength in times of trouble and joy in times of celebration.

这个传统的另一个伟大礼物是深刻而持久的。 爱 圣经. Many evangelicals grew up in homes and churches where the Scriptures were not just read cherished, memorized, and studied with passion.²⁵ The stories, poems, and teachings of the Bible permeate their lives, giving them a lens through which to see the world and a language to understand their own story. This love for Scripture fosters a faith that is always seeking to learn and grow deeper in the knowledge of God’s Word.²⁶

我们也听到了赋予生命的力量。 充满活力的社区. For many, especially young people, the church youth group was a place of true belonging, a sanctuary during the often turbulent years of adolescence.²⁵ It was in these communities that they forged lifelong friendships, found mentors who guided them, and discovered a safe space to grow in their faith. The potlucks, the small groups, the shared life—all of these weave a strong fabric of fellowship that supports and sustains its members.²⁵

最后，有强大的和平来自世界。 救赎的保证. In a world full of uncertainty, the evangelical faith offers a sure and certain hope: that one is saved, right by the pure grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ.²⁷ This is not wishful thinking a confident expectation that frees the soul from fear and fills it with gratitude and joy.²⁷

为什么有些人感到痛苦需要离开福音派？

We must also have the courage and humility to listen to other stories—stories of pain and disillusionment. In recent years, many who grew up in the evangelical world have felt a deep need to walk away, a movement sometimes called “exvangelical”.²⁸ Their stories are not told out of bitterness out of a deep sense of loss and a longing for healing. It is our Christian duty to listen to these wounded members of our family with a compassionate and non-judgmental heart.

许多人谈论体验 精神创伤. They describe faith communities that, instead of being places of grace and healing, became high-control environments that enforced impossible standards.²⁹ They tell of feeling constantly judged, shamed, and made to feel that they could never be good enough. Some speak of misogyny that damaged their sense of self-worth or a culture that prioritized prayer over necessary medical care, leading to lasting harm.²⁹

其他人描述了一种深深的痛苦，这种痛苦来自于看到他们心爱的信仰与之纠缠在一起。 党派政治. They feel that the simple, beautiful message of the Gospel has been overshadowed by a political agenda, and that loyalty to a political party is sometimes valued more than loyalty to Christ.³⁰ This can create a painful conflict in their hearts, forcing them to choose between their faith and their conscience.

也许我们听到的最令人心碎的证词是感觉 强大的放弃. The very intensity of the community that is a source of such joy can also become a source of immense pain. Many who have left tell the same sad story: they spent their entire lives in a considering its members to be their family. But when they began to have doubts, or when they quietly stopped attending, not a single person reached out to them. The silence was deafening.²⁹ This experience suggests that sometimes, the belonging offered by the community can feel conditional, dependent on conforming to a specific set of beliefs and behaviors. When a person can no longer conform, they risk finding themselves not just in disagreement utterly alone. This is a powerful pastoral challenge for all of us: how can our communities offer the gift of true, unconditional belonging, loving even those who feel they must walk a different path?

人们在主流教会中找到了什么精神之家？

對於許多感到失落或受傷的人來說，主線傳統的教會已經成為一個精神的家園，一個治愈，和平和更新信仰的地方。 他们的故事讲述了一种不同的恩典，一种在问题中遇到他们并以复杂的方式拥抱他们。

一个共同的主题是寻找的强大解脱 知识自由. Many who come to mainline churches speak of the joy of being in a community where it is safe to ask hard questions, to wrestle with doubt, and to not have all the answers.³² They find a faith that is not afraid of science or modern knowledge one that encourages the use of the mind as a path to loving God more fully.

其他人则在谈论他们在其中发现的深深的美丽。 礼仪与传统. In the ancient prayers, the rich hymns, and the holy sacraments, they feel a powerful connection to the great cloud of witnesses who have gone before them.³⁴ The rhythm of the church calendar—Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter—provides a sacred structure to their year, grounding their lives in the story of Christ. For those who felt their previous faith was too new or too focused on emotion, this connection to history can be deeply centering and nourishing.

许多人在主线承诺中也找到了一个家。 激进的包容和社会正义. They are drawn to churches that open their arms wide to all people, regardless of race, background, or sexual orientation.³⁵ They find a faith that is not just about personal salvation about actively participating in God’s work of healing and redeeming the world. They find joy in a community that is passionate about caring for the poor, welcoming the stranger, and protecting God’s creation.³⁵

This journey is not always simple. The writer Rachel Held Evans, who found a loving home in the Episcopal Church after leaving evangelicalism, wrote honestly that she sometimes missed the “fire-in-the-belly” passion and the intensive Bible study of her evangelical upbringing.³² Her story reminds us that no tradition is perfect, and that our spiritual journeys are often complex. But for many, the gentle, spacious, and compassionate faith they find in the mainline is the very grace they need to find their way back to God.

第四部分： 全球 和 未来 展望

新教和福音主义的故事经常被讲述，好像它只是一个美国或欧洲的故事。 但圣灵在世界各地以强大的方式移动，基督教的面貌正在发生变化。 为了真正了解我们的家庭，我们必须抬起眼睛，看看更大的画面，看看这些话语和运动如何在不同的文化中呈现新的生活，以及我们所有人的未来。

这些标签意味着世界各地的相同吗？

The simple answer is no. The neat lines that are sometimes drawn between “Evangelical” and “Mainline” in the United States often blur or disappear entirely in other parts of the world.

As we have seen, in many parts of Europe, the word “evangelical” simply means “Protestant,” a direct inheritance from the time of the Reformation.²

但最激动人心的故事发生在 全球 南方—in Latin America, Africa, and Asia—where Christianity is growing with breathtaking speed.³⁶ Here, the faith often looks very different from what many in the West are used to. Churches in Africa and Latin America are often deeply “evangelical” in their passion and piety. They are charismatic, with a vibrant belief in the power of the Holy Spirit, in miracles, faith healing, and the direct authority of the Bible.³⁷ Their worship is full of life and fervor.

与此同时，由于这些基督徒中的许多人生活在极度贫困，不公正和社会动荡的背景下，他们的信仰离不开对社会的深刻承诺。 社会正义与解放.³⁷ For them, the Gospel is not just about saving souls for the next life; it is about bringing God’s healing, justice, and hope to the suffering of this life. They see no conflict between a passionate, personal faith and a tireless fight for the poor and oppressed. In Latin America, for example, this vibrant faith is also often paired with a staunch cultural conservatism on issues of family and morality.⁴⁰

这种美丽的融合挑战了我们在西方经常思考的方式。 我们有时会在个人传福音和社会正义之间做出错误的选择，就好像他们是两个对立的团队一样。 我们在全球南方的兄弟姐妹告诉我们，他们是，而且一直都是同一只鸟的两翼。 他们教导世界其他地方，为耶稣着火的心是为穷人燃烧的心。 这是给整个基督徒家庭的强大礼物。

我们的教会去哪里了？

当我们看到信仰的趋势时，特别是在美国，很容易感到沮丧。 但我們必須用信心的眼光看，而不是恐懼的眼光，相信主仍然在他的教會裡工作。 受人尊敬的研究，如皮尤研究中心和巴纳集团的研究，可以帮助我们了解景观。

我们必须诚实和悲伤地承认 成员减少 within the historic Mainline Protestant denominations. For several decades, their numbers have been shrinking.⁴¹ In 2007, about 18% of American adults identified with a mainline church; by 2023-24, that number had fallen to 11%.⁴³ Some observers suggest this may be because, in their noble effort to be open and inclusive, these churches sometimes have not offered a sufficiently distinct and compelling vision of faith to hold their members, especially the young, in a world that is increasingly secular.⁴⁴

The numbers for our evangelical brothers and sisters have been more stable. Their share of the population has declined only slightly, from about 26% in 2007 to 23% in 2023-24.⁴¹ This is partly because they have been more successful at retaining those who were raised in the faith and at welcoming new converts.⁴⁵ But the evangelical community faces its own powerful challenge. The word “evangelical” itself has become deeply connected with politics in the public mind, and for many people outside the it now carries a negative meaning.⁴⁶ This is a source of great sorrow for many evangelicals who wish only to be known for their love of Jesus.

作为一个基督徒家庭，我们都必须面对现实。 rise of the “nones”—those who say they have no religious affiliation at all. This group has grown significantly, especially among young people, and now represents nearly 30% of the American population.⁴¹ This is the world in which we are all called to be witnesses of Christ’s love.

The demographic center of our faith is shifting. By the year 2040, it is projected that half of all Protestants in the world will live in Africa.³⁶ The future of Christianity will be shaped more by the voices of believers in Lagos, São Paulo, and Manila than by those in London or Chicago.³⁷ This is not a cause for fear for joyful hope. The Holy Spirit is writing a new chapter in the story of the one that will be more diverse, more vibrant, and more global than ever before. These new centers of Christianity, with their powerful fusion of orthodox faith and a deep concern for the poor, have much to teach the older churches of the West. They may, in God’s providence, be the very ones who help us heal our divisions and rediscover the full, integrated power of the Gospel.

第五部分： A Call To Walk Together 的 呼唤

我们一起旅行，探索历史，信仰和生活经历，塑造我们的新教和福音派家庭。 我们已经看到了美丽和痛苦，确定性和问题。 当我们接近朝圣的结束时，我们必须提出最重要的问题： 那我们该怎么生活呢？ 我们凭着所有的分歧，怎样才能真正成为上帝的一个家庭，在我们对基督和彼此的爱中团结在一起呢？

我们能在对基督的爱中找到共同点吗？

答案，诞生于信心和希望，是一个响亮的肯定。 通往这种统一的道路有一个美丽的名字： ecumenism. It is the movement, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that calls all Christians to work and pray for the visible unity of the Church.⁴⁸ It is a response to the prayer of our Lord Jesus himself, on the night before he died: “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me”.⁴⁹ Our unity is not for our own sake; it is for the sake of the world, so that all may see our love and be drawn to the Savior.

This unity is not just a dream for the future; it is already happening in what some have called the “ecumenism of the trenches”.⁴⁹ On the ground, in towns and cities all over the world, Evangelicals, Mainline Protestants, and Catholics are already standing shoulder to shoulder. They are working together to feed the hungry, to provide shelter for the homeless, to fight the evil of human trafficking, and to care for the most vulnerable members of our society.⁴⁹ In these shared acts of love and mercy, they discover that what unites them—their common love for Jesus and their desire to serve “the least of these”—is far more powerful than what divides them.

This practical unity can build bridges of trust that make our more difficult conversations possible. Even on the most polarizing issues, there is often shared ground to be found if we have the humility to look for it. For example, in the painful debate over abortion, both sides can often agree on the shared goal of reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies and supporting women in crisis.⁵⁰ Both traditions believe in the dignity of every person, in the call to care for God’s creation, and in the vital role of the church in healing a broken world.⁵⁰ Our shared baptism and our common confession that “Jesus is Lord” is a foundation for unity that is stronger than any wall of division we can build.⁴⁹

那我们怎样才能彼此相爱呢？

我们的旅程结束于所有基督徒旅程必须结束的地方： 在十字架的脚下，用伟大的诫命爱上帝，爱我们的邻居像我们自己一样。 如果我们要忠于这个召唤，我们作为一个基督徒家庭的生活必须以某些美德为标志。

我们必须有 谦卑. We must have the grace to admit that no single tradition, no single denomination, has a perfect and complete understanding of the infinite mystery of God.⁵¹ We all have so much to learn from one another. Our evangelical brothers and sisters can inspire us with their passionate love for Scripture, their zeal for sharing the faith, and their emphasis on a personal, living relationship with Jesus. Our mainline brothers and sisters can challenge us with their deep commitment to social justice, their embrace of intellectual inquiry, and their vision of a radically inclusive and welcoming church. We are all poorer when we close our hearts to the gifts that God has given to other parts of His family.

我们必须学习神圣的艺术 聆听 听. So often, we are quick to speak, to judge, to correct. But love requires us to first be silent and truly listen to the heart of our brother or sister.³⁵ We must seek to understand their story, their joys, and their wounds before we presume to have an answer for them. When we listen with a compassionate heart, we create a safe space where the Holy Spirit can work, healing old wounds and building new understanding.

Let us, then, go forth from this journey with renewed hope. Let us look upon every Christian, whether they call themselves Protestant, Evangelical, Catholic, or Orthodox, not as a stranger or a rival as a beloved brother or sister in Christ. Let us pray for the grace to see past the labels that divide us and to see instead the face of Christ in one another. For we are all members of one body, children of one Father, and pilgrims on one journey toward our eternal home. May the world look upon us and say, not “See how those Christians argue,” but “See how they love one another.” And in seeing our love, may they come to know the boundless, unifying, and saving love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.