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August 6, 2007

Journaling News Servicing Writer Person Not Understands

Why I don't pay much attention to Reuters religion reporting.

Today's nonsensical headline from Reuters: "New evangelist leader plans to avoid politics"

Reuters still doesn't get the difference between an evangelical, an evangelist, and a pastor. When the story finally does get around to using the word evangelical, it's to explain, "American evangelical Christians, who number 60 million, believe that many of the country's social ills stem from high divorce rates and teenage pregnancies."

Comments

Too bad about the mis-use of the words, Evangelist and Evangelical, however, it's great the new leader of the NAE is indicating he won't be in bed with the republican party.

The anonymous Reuters reporter (I wouldn't want my name on the piece either) only mentioned in passing that Haggard was the head of NAE, and didn't bother to clarify that most of his national influence was in that capacity rather than as pastor of a megachurch. Nor does it mention that NAE already named Leith Anderson as its new leader, leading some readers (i.e. the above commenter) to assume that this is the new NAE leader being named rather than the new megachurch pastor. And yes, I too always wondered what "evangelical" meant; so nice of the article to provide that definition at the end.

By the way, Ted, perhaps it's just me, but the syntax of your own headline is confusing to me. Or perhaps it is that way to make a point--to which I say "clever!"

Don't journalists actually read the AP styleguide anymore?

Unfortunately, though. the greater crime is not in the improper use of the term, but the scourge against Christ this has caused.

Like when any man falls, there are those who enjoy taunting the God the man claimed. By grace, Jesus will not be deterred, and will return, no matter what Ted Haggard, Jim Bakker, Billy Graham, or I do.

Thanks for picking up this error. Does CT or any Christian org you know of offer a good style guide for journalists?