Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism is a large group within Protestant Christianity. It focuses on sharing the Christian message, called the gospel, with others. The word "evangelical" comes from a Greek word meaning "good news." This news is about salvation through Jesus Christ.

People in this movement believe strongly in personal change through faith. They often call this change being "born again." They also see the Bible as the most important guide for life and belief.

The ideas behind evangelicalism started during the Protestant Reformation in Europe. Leaders began to stress the importance of the Bible and preaching. The movement grew a lot during a time of religious excitement in the 1700s called the First Great Awakening. Important leaders like John Wesley helped it spread. Over time, evangelicalism has become a worldwide movement. Followers can be found in many different church traditions.

Today, evangelical Christians are found all over the world. In places like the United States, they make up a large part of the population. They share a strong passion for sharing their faith and a deep respect for the Bible, even though they come from many different church backgrounds.

Terminology

The word evangelical comes from a Greek word meaning "good news." It refers to the message about Jesus. Over time, it came to mean the teachings found in the New Testament, especially the Gospels, which tell the story of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection.

The word was first used in English in 1531 by William Tyndale, and later by Thomas More. During the Reformation, Protestant leaders like Martin Luther used the term to describe their churches, which were different from the Catholic Church. Today, many Lutheran churches still use the word evangelical to show they follow the teachings of the Bible. In many places, the term evangelical describes a group of Christians who believe strongly in sharing their faith and following the Bible.

Beliefs

Evangelicalism is a large group within Protestant Christianity. It focuses on sharing the good news about Jesus. It has four main ideas: believing in being "born again," respecting the Bible highly, focusing on Jesus' death and resurrection, and being active in sharing the faith.

Evangelicals believe that being a Christian means turning away from sin and living a holy life. They respect the Bible very much and see it as very important. They believe that Jesus' death and resurrection save people from sin. Evangelicals are active in sharing their faith through preaching and helping others. They organize themselves in different ways, and some allow women to be leaders in churches. Their worship services can vary but often include singing, sermons, and prayer. Many evangelicals also start schools and universities to teach about their faith.

Diversity

Further information: Conservative Christianity, Liberal Christianity, Moderate Christianity, Progressive Christianity, List of Christian denominations

Many different church traditions, like the Reformed, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Churches of Christ, Plymouth Brethren, charismatic Protestant, and nondenominational Protestant, have shaped evangelicalism today. Some Anabaptist groups (like the Brethren Church) and some Lutherans also call themselves evangelicals. There are evangelical Anglicans and Quakers too.

In the early 1900s, evangelical influence grew weaker in mainline Protestantism. Then, in the years between 1950 and 2000, many evangelicals worked to be more welcoming and to fit better with culture, while still holding to theologically conservative Protestant beliefs. This new way of thinking is called neoevangelicalism, the new evangelicalism, or just evangelicalism in the United States. In Britain and other English-speaking countries, it is often called conservative evangelicalism. Over time, some evangelicals have pushed for changes in these ideas.

Even outside groups that call themselves evangelical, many mainline Protestant churches show some "evangelical" ideas. These churches often have a liberal theology, while evangelical churches usually have a fundamentalist or moderate theology.

Some people say that Evangelicalism is too broad and hard to define clearly. Theologian Donald Dayton has suggested stopping using the term. Historian D. G. Hart has also argued that “evangelicalism” isn’t a real identity because it doesn’t really exist.

Christian fundamentalism

Main article: Christian fundamentalism

Christian fundamentalism is often seen as a part of Evangelicalism. Fundamentalists believe strongly in biblical literalism, the virgin birth of Jesus, penal substitutionary atonement, the resurrection of Christ, and the Second Coming of Christ. Fundamentalism began among evangelicals in the 1920s, mainly in America but also in Britain, to fight against liberal theology in bigger churches. When they couldn’t change these churches, fundamentalists started their own and refused to work with other church groups, like the National Council of Churches. They believe strongly in separatism.

They also believe strongly in reading the Bible literally and think the Bible is completely true.

Mainstream varieties

Mainstream evangelicalism has two main groups: confessionalism and revivalism. Confessional evangelicals worry about uncontrolled religious experience, while revivalist evangelicals worry about teaching that is too intellectual and might block spirituality. Many modern evangelical churches don’t pick one of these groups but stay general. These churches are often socially and theologically conservative and may not belong to a specific church group.

Albert Mohler, leader of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, says confessional evangelicalism means staying closely tied to the beliefs of the Protestant Reformation. Confessional evangelicals want to follow old church rules to protect against wrong beliefs and heresy. They follow old statements of faith, like the ecumenical creeds and Reformation beliefs, such as the confessions of the Reformed churches. These evangelicals include Presbyterian churches, some Baptist churches, Methodist churches, and some confessional Lutherans.

Revivalist evangelicals, on the other hand, focus more on personal religious experiences. They include some Methodism, Wesleyan Holiness churches, Pentecostal and charismatic churches, some Anabaptist churches, and some Baptists and Presbyterians.

Progressive evangelicals

Some evangelicals are not happy with the strict rules of mainstream evangelicalism. They are called progressive evangelicals, postconservative evangelicals, open evangelicals, or postevangelicals. Progressive evangelicals share beliefs with progressive Christians but still call themselves evangelical. They often support women’s equality, pacifism, and social justice.

Roger E. Olson describes postconservative evangelicals as those who keep the main beliefs of evangelicalism but are more open and welcoming to others. They think spiritual experiences shaped by Scripture are important. Postconservative evangelicals want to talk more with other Christians and create a theology that includes women, people of color, and Christians from different parts of the world. Some also believe in open theism and that many people might be saved.

“Open evangelicals” is a term used mainly in Britain, especially in the Church of England. They mix traditional beliefs about the Bible and old teachings with more open views on culture and other ideas. Some try to balance between strict and more relaxed beliefs.

Author Dave Tomlinson used the word postevangelical to describe evangelicals who are unhappy with the current ways of their faith. He says this term is like the difference between the modern and postmodern worlds.

History

Modern evangelicalism began in the 18th century in Britain and its North American colonies. It grew from older Protestant movements. It mixes ideas from Pietism, Presbyterianism, and Puritanism. These ideas include warm feelings in faith, careful study of teachings, and personal thinking.

In the 1730s, evangelicalism became its own group through religious revivals in Britain and New England. These revivals were strong and touched many people. They encouraged people to share their faith outside of churches. Important leaders like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield led these movements. They focused on personal faith and change in people’s lives.

The 19th century brought more missionary work and big revival movements like the Second Great Awakening in America. Leaders such as Charles Finney were important. In Britain, evangelicals worked on social issues like ending slavery. They believed in using faith to help society.

The 20th century saw new ways to share faith, like using radio and television. Leaders like Billy Graham reached many people. New groups formed, and evangelicalism kept growing. It remains an important part of Christianity around the world.

Global statistics

Evangelicalism is a movement within Protestant Christianity that focuses on sharing the Christian message. A study from 2011 found about 285 million Christians, or 13.1 percent, are Evangelicals. This does not include Pentecostal or Charismatic movements.

There are different ideas about how many Evangelical Christians there will be in the future. One group thinks there will be 600 million by 2025. Another thinks there could be 700 million. A third idea, including all types of Evangelicals, suggests there might be 937 million by 2025.

Africa

Evangelical churches are active in many African countries and have grown a lot, especially since the 1960s. They are strongest in areas with Pentecostal beliefs.

Nigeria

In Nigeria, the Evangelical Church Winning All is the largest church group, with over ten million members and thousands of places of worship.

Ethiopia and Eritrea

In Ethiopia and Eritrea, Evangelical Christians are known as P'ent'ay. They follow different traditions like Pentecostalism, Baptist, Lutheran, and Mennonite.

Kenya

In Kenya, Evangelical churches have been active in supporting political causes.

South Africa

The Berlin Missionary Society was active in South Africa from the 1800s to the 1900s, focusing on spiritual growth and values.

Latin America

In Latin America, the term "Evangelical" often means Protestant.

Brazil

Protestantism in Brazil began with German immigrants and missionaries in the 1800s. It grew slowly at first but expanded a lot in the late 1900s. Today, many Brazilians are Protestants, with Pentecostal groups making up a large part of this growth.

Asia

China

Evangelical Christianity came to China in the 1800s through Protestant missionaries. It grew again in the early 1900s with local preachers.

South Korea

Protestant missionary work was very successful in Korea. Since the 1950s, many Korean Christians have moved to the U.S., but those who stayed have become successful in society. South Korea now sends many missionaries around the world.

Europe

Great Britain

Evangelicalism was strong in the Anglican Church from the 1800s to the 1860s. Today, there are about 2 million Evangelicals in the UK who are active in their churches and communities.

North America

United States

By the early 1900s, most American Protestants were Evangelicals. After World War II, Evangelical groups became more organized. Today, Evangelicals are active in many social issues and are often associated with the Christian right.

Evangelical humanitarian aid

In the 1940s, many churches in the United States began to focus on helping others, and these churches grew. Many groups that help people around the world were created in the second half of the 1900s. Some well-known groups include World Vision International, started in 1950, Samaritan's Purse in 1970, Mercy Ships in 1978, Prison Fellowship International in 1979, and International Justice Mission in 1997. These groups work in many countries to support people in need.