Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism
Name	Evangelicalism
Main classification	Protestant Christianity
Area	Global

Evangelicalism Evangelicalism is a movement within Protestant Christianity characterized by emphasis on conversion, the authority of the Bible, and active faith. It intersects with a wide array of denominations, mission societies, seminaries, and media networks, producing influential figures, institutions, and controversies across continents.

Definition and Core Beliefs

Core convictions emphasize personal conversion (often termed being "born again"), biblical authority, the atoning work of Jesus, and evangelism through missions and preaching. Prominent organizations and figures connected with these convictions include Billy Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle, John Stott and All Souls Church, Langham Place, John Wesley via the Methodist movement, Jonathan Edwards and the Great Awakening, and thinkers associated with the London Missionary Society and the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. Doctrinal currents draw on texts such as the King James Version and institutions like Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theological Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

History and Origins

Roots trace to early Protestant reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin and later revival movements including the First Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening. Key historical episodes include the ministry of George Whitefield, participation by leaders like Charles Finney in revivalism, missionary expansion via William Carey and the Cambridge Seven, and transatlantic exchanges involving Horace Bushnell and the Clapham Sect. Movements such as the Keswick Convention, the Welsh Revival (1904–1905), and institutions like the International Missionary Council shaped global spread alongside colonial-era contacts with places like India, China, Africa, and Latin America.

Denominations and Global Distribution

Evangelical identity spans denominations: parts of the Baptist Union, Pentecostalism (including Assemblies of God), segments of the Anglican Communion (including Anglican realignment networks), Presbyterian Church in America, Methodist Church of Great Britain adherents, Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod constituencies, and independent Non-denominational Christianity congregations. Global hubs include the United States evangelical establishment, the United Kingdom renewal networks, the Global South growth in Nigeria, South Korea, Brazil, and Philippines, and transnational bodies such as the World Evangelical Alliance and regional alliances like the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

Theology and Practices

Theological emphases include sola scriptura patterns represented by scholars at Princeton Theological Seminary, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Practices include conversion narratives, baptism traditions across Believer's baptism and infant baptism within Anglicanism, pulpit preaching in contexts like Saddleback Church and Willow Creek Community Church, hymnody from composers linked to Charles Wesley and contemporary worship leaders associated with Hillsong Church and Bethel Church, and missionary activity coordinated by groups like Operation Mobilisation and SIM. Eschatological positions vary from premillennialism advocated by leaders tied to Scofield Reference Bible traditions to amillennial strains in some Reformed circles.

Social and Political Engagement

Evangelical actors participate in public life through organizations such as the National Association of Evangelicals, political coalitions like the Moral Majority and Christian Coalition, and advocacy groups including the Family Research Council. Influential public figures intertwined with evangelical networks include Jimmy Carter and Billy Graham in earlier eras, and more recent political actors linked to events such as the 2016 United States presidential election. Internationally, engagement appears in humanitarian work via World Vision and disaster relief coordinated with agencies like Samaritan's Purse and Tearfund, and in civic movements tied to debates in countries like Brazil and South Africa.

Cultural Influence and Media

Evangelicalism has a major presence in print, broadcast, and digital media: publishing houses like Zondervan and Thomas Nelson; broadcasters such as Trinity Broadcasting Network and Christian Broadcasting Network; and online ministries affiliated with figures such as T.D. Jakes and Rick Warren. Educational institutions include Liberty University, Biola University, and Westmont College; music and arts movements intersect with artists who perform in venues linked to Passion Conferences and festivals like Creation Festival. Film and literature connections feature producers and authors connected to 100 Huntley Street-type programming and novelists whose work circulates through evangelical bookstores and networks.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques arise regarding theology, politics, and social practices, voiced by scholars and institutions such as Richard Dawkins in public debates, commentators at The Atlantic and The New York Times, and by ecumenical interlocutors from Roman Catholic Church leaders and representatives of Mainline Protestantism. Controversies include debates over the role of evangelicals in political movements exemplified by the Scandals involving televangelists and high-profile legal cases impacting groups connected to Jim Bakker-era investigations and financial oversight disputes. Internal disputes over doctrine and governance have led to splits in bodies like the Southern Baptist Convention and realignment efforts within the Anglican realignment.

Category:Christian movements