Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of the Christian gospel. The term evangelical is derived from the Koine Greek word (euangelion), meaning "good news," in reference to the message of salvation through Jesus Christ. Evangelicalism typically places a strong emphasis on personal conversion, often described as being "born again", and regards the Bible as the ultimate authority in matters of faith and practice. The definition and scope of evangelicalism are subjects of debate among theologians and scholars. Some critics argue that the term encompasses a wide and diverse range of beliefs and practices, making it difficult to define as a coherent or unified movement.
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; historically, the term Evangelical referred to the Evangelical-Lutheran Churches, which use this descriptor to emphasize "adherence to the pure evangelical or gospel doctrines, and to the Scriptures in general". The modern evangelical movement is generally dated to around 1734, influenced by theological currents such as Pietism, Puritanism, Quakerism, and Moravianism—notably the work of Nicolaus Zinzendorf and the Herrnhut community. Evangelicalism gained momentum during the First Great Awakening of the 1730s and 1740s, with figures like John Wesley and the early Methodists playing central roles.
It 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.
The World Evangelical Alliance claims 600 million believers in 2025, accounting for roughly one in four Christians. Evangelicals in the United States 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 (especially in the Wesleyan–Arminian tradition), Lutheranism, Moravians, Free Church bodies, Mennonites, Quakers, Pentecostal and charismatic movements, and various non-denominational churches.
Terminology
The word evangelical has its etymological roots in the Greek word for 'gospel' or 'good news': , from 'good', the stem of, among other words, 'messenger, angel', and the neuter suffix . By the English Middle Ages, the term had expanded semantically to include not only the message, but also the New Testament which contained the message as well as more specifically the Gospels, which portray the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. The first published use of evangelical in English was in 1531, when William Tyndale wrote "He exhorteth them to proceed constantly in the evangelical truth." One year later, Thomas More wrote the earliest recorded use in reference to a theological distinction when he spoke of "Tyndale [and] his evangelical brother Barns."
During the Reformation, Protestant theologians embraced the term as referring to "gospel truth." Martin Luther referred to the ("evangelical church") to distinguish Protestants from Catholics in the Catholic Church. Into the 21st century, evangelical has continued in use as a synonym for Protestant in Lutheran denominations, with the Evangelical Lutheran Catechism noting that the Church uses the term "Evangelical" to show "her adherence to the pure evangelical or gospel doctrines, and to the Scriptures in general". This usage is reflected in the names of the majority of Lutheran denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lithuania, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria, the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England. The German term more accurately corresponds to the broad English term ProtestantPeter Terrell, Harper Collins German Unabridged Dictionary, 4th ed., (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1999), 273 sub loco. and should not be confused with the narrower German term , or the term (a term etymologically related to the Pietist and Radical Pietist movements), which are used to describe evangelicalism in the sense used in this article. Protestant denominations with a Lutheran background are not evangelical in the sense but Protestant in the sense, have translated the German term (or Protestant) into the English term evangelical, although the two German words have different meanings. In other parts of the world, especially in the English-speaking world, evangelical (German: or ) is commonly applied to describe the interdenominational born-again believing movement.Erich Geldbach: Evangelikale Bewegung. In: Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1986, Bd. 1, Sp. 1186.Erich Geldbach: Evangelikale Bewegung. In: Evangelisches Kirchenlexikon, Bd. 2. Vandenhoeck und Ruprecht, Göttingen 1989, Sp. 1186–1191, hier Sp. 1190.
Christian historian David W. Bebbington writes that, "Although 'evangelical,' with a lower-case initial, is occasionally used to mean 'of the gospel,' the term 'Evangelical' with a capital letter, is applied to any aspect of the movement beginning in the 1730s." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, evangelicalism was first used in 1831. In 1812, the term evangelicalism appeared in The History of Lynn by William Richards. In the summer of 1811 the term evangelicalists was used in The Sin and Danger of Schism by Rev. Dr. Andrew Burnaby, Archdeacon of Leicester.
The term may also be used outside any religious context to characterize a generic missionary, reforming, or redeeming impulse or purpose. For example, The Times Literary Supplement refers to "the rise and fall of evangelical fervor within the Socialist movement." This usage refers to evangelism, rather than evangelicalism as discussed here; though sharing an etymology and conceptual basis, the words have diverged significantly in meaning.
Beliefs
One influential definition of evangelicalism has been proposed by historian David Bebbington. Bebbington notes four distinctive aspects of evangelical faith: conversionism, biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism, noting, "Together they form a quadrilateral of priorities that is the basis of Evangelicalism."
Conversionism, or belief in the necessity of being "born again," has been a constant theme of evangelicalism since its beginnings. To evangelicals, the central message of the gospel is justification by faith in Christ and repentance, or turning away, from sin. Conversion differentiates the Christian from the non-Christian, and the change in life it leads to is marked by both a rejection of sin and a corresponding personal holiness of life. A conversion experience can be emotional, including grief and sorrow for sin followed by great relief at receiving forgiveness. The stress on conversion differentiates evangelicalism from other forms of Protestantism by the associated belief that an assurance will accompany conversion. Among evangelicals, individuals have testified to both sudden and gradual conversions.: "A logical place to start is to ask Christians who call themselves evangelical what they believe. The trouble is that evangelicals differ widely in how they interpret and emphasize 'fundamental' doctrines. Even the 'born again experience,' supposedly the quintessence of evangelicalism, is not an ironclad indicator. Some evangelicals have always viewed conversion as an incremental process rather than an instantaneous rebirth (and their numbers may be increasing)."
Biblicism is reverence for the Bible and high regard for biblical authority. All evangelicals believe in biblical inspiration, though they disagree over how this inspiration should be defined. Many evangelicals believe in biblical inerrancy, while other evangelicals believe in biblical infallibility.
Crucicentrism is the centrality that evangelicals give to the Atonement, the saving death and the resurrection of Jesus, that offers forgiveness of sins and new life. This is understood most commonly in terms of a substitutionary atonement, in which Christ died as a substitute for sinful humanity by taking on himself the guilt and punishment for sin.
Activism describes the tendency toward active expression and sharing of the gospel in diverse ways that include preaching and social action. This aspect of evangelicalism continues to be seen today in the proliferation of evangelical voluntary religious groups and parachurch organizations.
Church government and organizations
The word church has several meanings among evangelicals. It can refer to the universal church (the body of Christ), including all Christians everywhere.Robert Paul Lightner, Handbook of Evangelical Theology, Kregel Academic, USA, 1995, p. 228 It can also refer to the church (congregation), which is the visible representation of the invisible church. It is responsible for teaching and administering the sacraments or ordinances (baptism and the Lord's Supper, but some evangelicals also count footwashing as an ordinance).Robert Paul Lightner, Handbook of Evangelical Theology, Kregel Academic, USA, 1995, p. 234
Many evangelical traditions adhere to the doctrine of the believers' Church, which teaches that one becomes a member of the Church by the new birth and profession of faith.Religioscope, Sébastien Fath, À propos de l'évangélisme et des Églises évangéliques en France – Entretien avec Sébastien Fath , religion.info, France, March 3, 2002 This originated in the Radical Reformation with Anabaptists but is now also held by denominations that practice believer's baptism.Donald F. Durnbaugh, The Believers' Church: The History and Character of Radical Protestantism, Wipf and Stock Publishers, USA, 2003, p. 65, 73 Evangelicals in the Anglican, Methodist, and Reformed traditions practice infant baptism as one's initiation into the community of faith and the New Testament counterpart to circumcision, while also stressing the necessity of personal conversion later in life for salvation.