A Religion Post, or, "Pardon me, but what the fuck?"

I started reading the NYT Online's story about Mitt Romney (I'm trying to get all the information because, as a Christian Bale from American Psycho look alike, he scares the piss out of me) courting evangelicals, and I had to stop.

Can someone please tell me how in the world evangelical Protestantism became "orthodox Christianity?" I understand that this Oran P. Smith, who the NYT styles as a conservative Christian working for a group in South Carolina, probably considers his brand of faith the right and true faith, and therefore "orthodox," but why didn't the NYT put in some qualifier? Furthermore, isn't what we know as evangelical Protestantism all of, perhaps, two hundred years old? Doesn't that in itself make it more radical than orthodox?

I'm just curious and pining for a religion debate. As an aside, I do think that liberals in general really, really need to start to understand religion. I read recently that young, liberal folks want to learn about religion and spirituality, but they avoid learning about Christianity. The reason: the thought that Christianity has nothing to offer, and that Christians are self-righteous, bigoted, and judgmental (let's nevermind the inherent hypocrisy of that sentiment for now). Why would anyone, particularly liberals, want to avoid learning about Christianity? For one, ought not liberals know where conservatives are coming from and argue against them on (social) conservative terms? I think that social conservatives are playing fast and loose with the Bible, and it's high time someone called them on it.

But, also, the Bible, say what you will about it, is a pretty interesting book and has some good ideas, and some pretty liberal ideas as well. Jesus might actually be accused of being a commie pinko nowadays. Why not use him as a liberal icon?