Evangelicalism

{{expand}}{{Christianity}}
{{cquote|For much of American history, evangelicalism was aligned with progressive political causes. Nineteenth-century evangelicals fought for the abolition of [[slavery]], universal suffrage, and public education. But contemporary evangelicals have defaulted on this majestic legacy, embracing instead an agenda virtually indistinguishable from the [[Republican Party]] platform.|||Randall Balmer, 2006<ref name=balmer />}}
 
'''Evangelicalism''' originally meant [[Protestantism]],<ref name=theopedia /> though the term is sometimes loosely defined. Over time, evangelicalism among English speakers has come to mean a branch of [[Christianity]] which is centered on the following:
*The need to be "[[Born again|Born Again]]" as an adult. 
*A strong focus on the [[Gospel]] as good news, on bringing Christianity to others. 
*A renewed focus on the [[resurrection]] aspects of [[Jesus]] in both one's [[spiritual]] life and in one's personal day-to-day expressions of life.
*Strong belief in the authority of the [[Bible]].

Evangelicalism is often contrasted with "liturgical" Christianity (''e.g.'', [[Roman Catholicism]], [[Catholic#High Church outside Roman Catholicism|high-church]] [[Anglicanism]]), which puts more emphasis on liturgy, religious ritual, and church [[tradition]] and is often derided by the practicioners of the former as [[Christianity is not a religion|"law" and "religion"]]. 
 
==History==
There have always been Pietist movements within more traditional church structures. Evangelicals claim that this goes all the way back to the [[Book of Acts]] in the New Testament, but early [[Church]] fathers seem more Catholic than happy clappy. Modern evangelicals stem from [[Anabaptists]], [[Puritan]]s, and men like [[John Wesley]] (the founder of [[Methodism]]) in America, particularly [[Jonathan Edwards]] & Dwight Moody.

==Fundamentalism==
In the 1940s, there was a split between evangelicals who wanted to engage with wider society and culture, and [[Fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalist]]s who believed in separating themselves from the wider modern culture.<ref>"[https://www.beliefnet.com/faiths/2005/06/the-fundamentalist-evangelical-split.aspx The fundamentalist-evangelical split]". ''Beliefnet''.</ref>

From the 1980s on, evangelicalism backtracked from its more progressive roots and became associated with dauntingly conservative causes, supporting the American [[right wing|right]] with the informal formation of the [[religious right]]. Because of this conservative push — emphasizing such things as [[biblical literalism]], an increase in the teaching of [[creationism]] in schools, and politically "[[pro-life]]" stances, etc. — people generally associate evangelicalism with fundamentalism, especially in the [[United States]], due in no small measure to the large influence of the television, and the dominance from the 1980s forward of [[televangelist|fundamentalists on television]]. Pundits sometimes refer to the religious right as the "evangelical vote", though this may not be accurate, as a sizable minority of evangelicals ([[African-Americans]] in particular) vote [[Democratic Party|Democratic]].<ref>Chip Berlet, [http://www.publiceye.org/magazine/v17n2/evangelical-demographics.html Religion and Politics in the United States: Nuances You Should Know]. publiceye.org, 2003.</ref> Many evangelicals are also fundamentalists and supporters of either the religious right or (also outside US) right wing ideologies, but not all. 

Other evangelicals have associations with groups like the [[Methodist]]s who support [[social justice]], and evangelicals do not necessarily support the American religious right.<ref name=theopedia>[http://www.theopedia.com/Evangelicalism Evangelicalism], theopedia.com.</ref> For example, {{wpl|Randall Balmer}} considers himself an evangelical but believes that the religious right are hijacking evangelicalism.<ref name=balmer>Randall Balmer, ''Thy Kingdom Come: How the Religious Right Distorts the Faith and Threatens America: An Evangelical's Lament'', Basic Books, 2006. ISBN 0465005195</ref><ref>[https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5502785 Evangelical: Religious Right Has Distorted the Faith]. [[NPR]], 23 June 2006.</ref>

== In short ==
{{video|youtube| https://youtu.be/Xw2MjRcVO4g}}

==See also==
*[[Evangelism]]
*[[Pentecostal]]
*[[Teen Mania Ministries]]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Far-right politics]]
[[Category:Homophobia]]
[[Category:Leftists who turned right with age]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Transphobia]]

Categories: Christianity, Conspiracy theorists, Far-right politics, Homophobia, Leftists who turned right with age, Racism, Transphobia