Evangelicalism and modernity: an ambiguous relation
For the past 30 years, the success of evangelical denominations in the USA gave rise to the third "Great Awakening" in the history of North American Protestantism. The "Great Awakenings" are associated with zealous religious periods that occurred in the middle of the 18th century (first Great Awakening) and at the beginning of the 19th century (second Great Awakening). Concretely, it means that conversions increased during a few decades as churches joined efforts to revitalize the religion. These "Great Awakenings" are essential to maintain the direction of North American Christianity, often called "non conformist" and diverse , opposite of of European Christianity, which is ultra-conformist and historically associated with the territory.
US Christianity is anti-conformist
In Europe, until the 20th century, two religions could not compete one with each other on a single territory (unless the minority religion were persecuted, as were Catholics in Ireland and Muslims in Bosnia), according to the policy of "one faith, one law, one king". Conversely, in the United States, Christianity has always been considered to be non conformist and liberal, as the New World welcomed all religious tendencies banned in Europe simultaneously and without exception. All these religious denominations competed in the same territory in a spirit of pluralism unknown in Catholic Europe. The "Great Awakenings" and the updated practices and beliefs it generated have been essential for US Christianity to maintain this non conformist dynamic, avoiding passivity, immunization and finally denial of faith, as it occurred in Europe due to the extreme rigidity of Catholic Church.
In this historical context, the outbreak of a third "Great Awakening" is no big surprise. Nevertheless it provokes an important debate in a context of secularization emphasized since the 60's, as we are now in the 21st century. Such a religious revitalization was absolutely not expected in the current circumstances of occidental societies dominated by modern science and democracy. More astonishing is the conservative, reactionary tendency of this religious renewal in cultural, political and social matters, at the opposite of liberation theology, which once brought together Christianity and Marxism. Not only Evangelical Protestant but all modern religious tendencies are often accompanied with nationalism and fundamentalism, focusing on morality and/or patriarchal authority. Is rejection of modernity inherent in modern religion? Instead of answering yes or no, let's consider the case of Evangelical Christian denominations whose relation with modernity is deeply ambiguous.
Between ultra modernity and rejection of modern values
Historically, Evangelical Protestantism appeared in the 18th century, in the wake of the first "Great Awakening". It aimed to bring back piety, conversion-oriented faith and orthodoxy into Christianity as mainstream Protestantism was becoming more liberal. Evangelicalism as we know today is the heir of this historical Evangelical denomination, cherishing a literal reading of the Bible and a purification of mores. Evangelicals are also strongly linked with social conservatism. The most extreme are to be found among Creationists, those who deny the Darwinian theory of evolution and rely on the authority of the Bible to describe the origins of the world. They believe the Book of Genesis is the only truthful explanation of human creation. Forty eight percent (48%) of the US population are Creationists. Most Evangelicals, even moderate ones, are militantly against abortion and homosexuality and for a return to a pious society. Accordingly, we can affirm that Evangelicals are definitely anti-modern on social matters, as they oppose the scientific and social progress which has revolutionized our societies from Enlightenment until the present. In any case, Evangelicals, even radical Creationists, maintain an ambiguous relationship with modernity. Sébastien Fath opines that Evangelical churches oscillate between ultra-modernity and rejection of modern values as they broadly use marketing strategies to expand (televangelism, i.e.), and at the same time deny liberalization of mores and scientific rationality. The worldwide success of Evangelicalism is mostly due to modern information and communication technologies, the ability to reach many people in many places, from the smallest village in West Africa to the remotest ranch in Texas. From this point of view, Evangelicalism is another symbol of globalization, as are Coca Cola or MacDonalds' burgers, and hence a symptom of (post)modernity.
Eventually, the conflict between evangelicalism/conservatism and secularism/modernity appears less coherent in the current context. Indeed, we are witnessing an unprecedented comeback to religious spirituality in the entire world apart from Western Europe. The five main religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) are stronger everywhere and in every field, from politics to economics. If modernity and secularism used to be indivisible, post- modernity and religion go together. André Malraux foretold it: The 21st century will be spiritual or will not be.
Article translated from French, for a full bibliography please refer to the original article (LINK TO FRENCH ARTICLE)