Evangelicalism

Lore & Background

The theological roots of evangelicalism can be traced to the Protestant Reformation in 16th-century Europe, which emphasized the authority of Scripture and the preaching of the gospel. Evangelicalism gained momentum during the First Great Awakening, with figures like John Wesley and the early Methodists playing central roles.

Reader's Guide

Evangelicalism has had a longstanding presence in the Anglosphere, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, before expanding globally in the 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. The movement grew substantially during the 18th and 19th centuries, notably through the series of religious revivals known as the Great Awakening in the United States and various revival movements and reform efforts in Britain. Today, evangelicals are found across many Protestant denominations and global contexts, without being confined to a single tradition. Notable evangelical leaders have included Nicolaus Zinzendorf, George Fox, John Wesley, George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, Billy Graham, Bill Bright, Harold Ockenga, Gudina Tumsa, John Stott, Francisco Olazábal, William J. Seymour, Luis Palau, Os Guinness, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. In the United States, evangelicals make up about a quarter of the population and represent the largest religious group. Evangelicalism is a transdenominational movement found across many Protestant denominations, including Reformed traditions such as Presbyterianism and Congregationalism, Anglicanism, Plymouth Brethren, Baptists, Methodism, Lutheranism, Moravians, Free Church bodies, Mennonites, Quakers, Pentecostal and charismatic movements, and various non-denominational churches.

Did You Know?

• The word 'evangelical' is derived from the Koine Greek word εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), meaning 'good news.'
• Historian David Bebbington proposed four distinctive aspects of evangelical faith: conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism.