4. Evangelicalism
- Mark Chapman
Abstract
‘Evangelicalism’ argues that this movement has had a profound effect, both within and outside Anglicanism. Evangelicalism is based on personal religious experience rather than Church order and authority, and distinguishes between nominal and real Christianity. Public action and missionary activity was one consequence of the Evangelical movement, which began to grow in strength from the mid-eighteenth century. Evangelicals gradually found more importance in the Church, with some becoming bishops, whilst others were unwilling to compromise and left the Church to found or join other sects. The Charismatic movement, with its focus on spiritual gifts and new types of congregation, has also been influential in recent decades, alongside the Evangelical mainstream.