Evangelicalism et al.
In the USA, about 40% of the population embraces the label "evangelical". These 40% are accountable for President W. Bush re-election in 2004. They brought Christian values (i.e. campaigns against abortion and homosexuality) back into politics. Their economic power enables them to go on a worldwide crusade to achieve their dream of evangelisation.
In Europe, the word "Evangelicalism" has ultimately invaded our daily life: reading the press, watching television, buying books, looking for a school for one's kids, etc. The expressions "Evangelicalism", "Jesus loves you" or "born again" are yet no privileges for church speeches. Nevertheless most people in Europe hardly could say what Evangelicalism is about if they were asked. Eventually, what does it mean?
Since Evangelicalism is an interdenominational movement, it implies an inherent diversity which complicates the wording of a univocal definition. Indeed, not only the word evangelicalism designates plenty of churches and congregations, but it also generates various beliefs and practices and have no centralized institution.
Stricto sensu, Evangelicalism refers only to one conservative protestant tendency, the evangelical Protestantism. Though, the same word is broadly used as a generic name for plenty of neo protestant -and to some extent, catholic- tendencies. Briefly, Evangelicalism is the common term to designate a myriad of conservative protestant denominations. Among these, the most spread remain Pentecostalism, Seventh-Day-Adventism, Methodism and Baptism.
Evangelicalism is often defined on the basis of four main attributes: conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism and activism.
Conversionism
The individual experience of conversion is essential to understand the evangelicals. They experiment individually their conversion and settle a personal relationship with God who helped them building a better life. The centrality of the conversion is at the origin of the expression "born again". Experimenting the conversion is like to be born again, a new life is to come afterwards. Hence, the evangelicals always reject infant baptism and prefer adult baptism, once the "born again" has truly accepted Jesus Christ.
Biblicism
The second main characteristic of Evangelicalism refers to the centrality of bible in life and faith of the believers, what actually applies to mainstream Protestantism as well. Anyhow, biblicism has a stronger meaning here: it involves a literal reading and a dogmatic respect for the bible. The fundamentalist evangelicals laud biblical inerrancy. In other words, they assume the bible is the only valuable authority in the fields of science, history and geography. Metaphors are not anymore, everything the bible tells is the exclusive absolute truth and no interpretation of the holy texts can be admitted. Creationism, part of Evangelicalism, denies the Darwin theory of evolution and affirms God created the Earth in 6 days. 48% of people in the USA are creationists.
Crucicentrism
Crucicentrism can be applied to the whole Christianity. For all the Christians, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ remains the symbol of redemption of humankind. However, evangelicals cherish a dramatic view of crucifixion, clearly distinguishing a "before" and an "after". The sins of "before" are represented by Jesus sentence to death. The "after" comes up once Jesus had paid the debt for humanity by sacrificing himself on the Cross. Therefore, humanity could not have occurred without him. According to the evangelicals, the day of Armageddon, when the Good and the Bad will face each other in an ultimate battle, only truthful believers will be saved, that means, those who recognize the work of Jesus Christ. Men have to recognise the crucifixion as the central point of human History in order to be released. This helps understanding why Mel Gibson īs "The Passion" had been backed by evangelicals, upon the criticism related to the extreme violence shown in the movie.
Activism
Last but not least, as a consequence to conversionism and indivual - centered faith, activism is the fourth main attribute of Evangelicalism. As told before, conversion involves a new departure in life for the "born again" Christian; his new life must break with the past. Thanks to conversion, the new Christian found out the Truth over the world (the biblical Truth), and must spread it all around to glorify the Lord. Evangelicals, with huge human and economic resources, go on crusades to bring the Good New and convert all non believers. Therefore, millions of bibles are supplied in schools, hospitals, churches and hostels; evangelical schools are educating the next missionaries, professional Brazilian soccer players are turned into conversion symbols: a worldwide evangelisation plan is running, contributing to the success of neo Protestantism on all the continents these last two or three decades.
This article has been translated from French into English: for an extended bibliography please refer to the French edition (LINK)