Written by: gfesadmin on February 27, 2013

It seems to be in fashion to question the future of Evangelicalism.  On the more progressive side, Evangelical leaders are calling for change in the church that can re-captivate the imagination of a society seemly bent on secularism, and highly critical of serious Christian faith.  On the more traditional side, there is a call for return to solid orthodoxy, stressing mission and evangelism, and even further political engagement.  Theological and historical leanings also influence the debate.  Those outside of the camp are either ambivalent or antagonistic, finding their point of contact with evangelicals mainly on controversial political issues.  Then there are of course many in the middle of the entire debate finding a leg in both camps, but feeling like they are standing on unsteady ground.  Of course, this is nothing new.  Conservative and liberal evangelicals have been decrying the future collapse of Evangelicalism ever since I can remember… it is of course a very good way to raise funds and garner attention.  In this, I don’t mean to criticize those with well-meaning arguments, but that Evangelicalism has a history of overstatement and punditry.

A read through David W. Bebbington’s Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730’s to the 1980’s gives a great historical overview and analysis of the rise of Evangelicalism in the world.Here we see that the current fears over the future of Evangelicalism and its standing in society are nothing new.In fact, evangelicalism has been a constantly morphing movement, bleeding into denominations, starting new ones, launching international organizations of mission and justice, dying off, all the while staying true to a very loose core of conversionism, activism, Biblicism, and crucicentrism. The debates, fears, instability, fractures, passions, and unities that characterize modern Western Evangelicalism today are in fact not new.With this mind here are a few salient points for us to remember as we think about Evangelicalism and its future:

1.      Diversity: Evangelicalism is extremely diverse in theology and practice.What binds it together is of course Bebbington’s sine qua non.Evangelicals are composed of Arminians, Calvinists, and everything in between, mainliners, Pentecostals, and Quakers.Evangelical’s throughout history have argued for both sides of the political divide, have worked hard for the poor and also committed to doing nothing for them.Actually, the list of diversity and ever changing centers of influence could go on and on.Amazingly among this diversity, evangelicals throughout their history have been able to maintain a modicum of ambiguous unity.Of course to outsiders this often appears to be a clearly unified movement with clear goals, boundaries, and theologies.Even for the insiders there is often a preoccupation with trying to stamp one’s theological or practical mark on the movement, but this always fails to understand there is no Evangelical Pope or Magisterium.There is no center, just lots of little centers held together by relationships, commons bonds, or name association only.Moreover, these centers constantly shift and change.

2.      Resilience: Evangelicalism has proven to be able to come back from the dead.Many times it has been pronounced on the wane, only (like much of Christianity) to survive the lean times and come back with renewed strength.It has failed politically, lost its key parts to liberalism, fallen in numbers and influence, all of this more than once.Part of its ability to survive and thrive is due to its diversity, its ability to be embedded in numerous forms and expressions.If one strand of evangelicalism is dying, another can pop up with a vengeance.Moreover, Evangelicalism (within its diversity) has been remarkably able to culturally adapt.Bebbington points out that it rose to prominence on much of the spirit of the Enlightenment, and then even found renewal in the spirit of Romanticism.We have also seen Evangelicalism (both for good and bad) significantly adapt to modernism and postmodernism.

3.      Yes we have skeletons in our closet, but there are a lot of good things as well: Bebbington points out the darker parts of evangelical history in Britain, but he also shows how evangelicals also made positive contributions to the end of slavery, the rise of education, and care for the poor. Currently, in the West there seems to be a general weariness and frustration with Evangelicalism, one that possibly evangelicals may even believe more than is reality.Still, in our time, evangelicals stand in the front lines against human trafficking, in fighting against the AIDS pandemic, and in addressing a multitude of world issues from poverty to orphans.The activism to put our faith in to action is still calling more and more people to commit their lives (just as Wilberforce before them) to make a difference in the world.

With that said, I would suggest a few key applications for evangelical leaders, bloggers, pastors, and thinkers as we continue the discussion about the future of Evangelicalism.

• Let’s stop making statements about how we need such and such theology and/or specific type of change A or Strategy B to save Evangelicalism.  Evangelicalism does not really need saving.  It will morph and change, and it will continue to survive.  Moreover, these types of statements don’t do justice to the diversity of Evangelicalism.  In any case, whose Evangelicalism are we talking about?

• Let’s celebrate our diversity while continuing to call each other to the core of Evangelical faith, rooted in Christ alone, the authority of the Bible, activism in faith, and evangelism.

• Let’s stop talking only about the negative and begin to share also the good news stories that are in our movements and histories.I am not saying we should not critique ourselves and our theology and practice, but that maybe in whatever change and critique we see fitting, we can also celebrate where God has and is genuinely moving.

• Let’s understand that Evangelicalism will continue to sputter and start, and that fractures are inevitable.Invariably some will leave Evangelicalism while others will take it in new directions (maybe even uncomfortable ones).Our problem seems to be that we all know what the people in the other church or organization need to know or believe.Let’s be kind and gracious, but honest with each other, and respect each other’s theologies and practice.That will mean at times separation and division, but let us handle this with graciousness and truth and within relationship, and not the internet.We should work for unity, but we should not be shocked when the already fractured unity that is in values alone does not always hold.

• Most of all let us focus on imparting the values and theologies of our particular churches and organizations.We should not forget that Christianity and Evangelicalism are essentially about people and their relationship to the Triune God.Let’s get back to work on that topic, working across boundaries for the sake of Christ whenever and however we can.

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