On the list:
Howard & Roberta Ahmanson, David Barton, Doug Coe, Chuck Colson, Luis Cortès, James Dobson, Stuart Epperson, Michael Gerson, Billy & Franklin Graham, Ted Haggard, Bill Hybels, T.D. Jakes, Diane Knippers, Tim & Beverly LaHaye, Richard Land, Brian McLaren, Joyce Meyer, Richard John Neuhaus, Mark Noll, J.I. Packer, Rick Santorum, Jay Sekulow, Stephen Strang
Rick Warren, Ralph Winter.
Noticably missing: authors Max Lucado and Philip Yancey, anyone associated with contemporary Christian Music, any serious theologians with the exception of JI Packer.
Here's my reactions:
I don't recognize all of the names on Time's list, but I will comment anyhow.
The Pastors: Bill Hybels, Rick Warren - these guys have to be on any list of influencial Americans, evangelical or otherwise.
The Politicians: Chuck Colson, James Dobson - there are others on the list involved in politics. I long for the day when "evangelical" does not equal "religious right."
The Obvious: Billy & Franklin Graham - have to be on the list
The Unfortunate: Joyce Meyer - her ministry is popular but scandal-ridden. I hope she is not the face of evangelicalism.
The Catholics: Richard John Neuhaus and Rick Santorum - are influential, but are not evangelicals. Seems silly to have them on this list.
The Authors: Tim & Beverly LaHaye - Left Behind has been huge. If you see the pic of them in the Time slideshow, you might wonder if Tim's fashion sense has been left behind too.
The Pentecostal: TD Jakes - popular for sure, but evangelical? His trinitarian integrity has been challenged.
The Scholars: JI Packer and Mark Noll - both are tremendously important to evangelicals. I wish more like them had been on the list.
The Future: Brian McLaren - I am becoming a new kind of Christian, so I am happy his influence is recognized. I wonder if he likes being labeled an evangelical.
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