The Role of Evangelicalism in American and British History

Answer

Proposal

The history of both United States and Britain is marred with numerous nuances of religion. In Britain, there is a constitutionally-recognized state religion, and the Church of England is considered the official church of the monarchy; consequently, all monarchs must profess the protestant faith. On the other hand, the United States is believed to be a largely protestant state, especially considering the influence of the denomination during its formative years. However, the US attempts as much as it is practically possible to distance the state from the church, in line with its fundamental belief in liberty of individuals’ worship.

Although both countries respect the different religions that exist within their borders, the evangelical denominational movement of the Protestant faction of Christianity has played a significant role in shaping their history. This essay argues that with the rising popularity of evangelicalism from the 18^th century until the 20^th century, evangelicalism shaped the trends and consciousness of society, thereby giving rise to popular ideologies that curated social and political policies in the two states, depending on the then current pressing issues. To accomplish this, the essay will explore the emergence of evangelicalism, and trace its rise to dominance – as well as the trends it helped champion.

Conniry, C. J. (2008). Evangelical Christianity in America. Faculty Publications – George Fox Evangelical Seminary, Paper 32, pp. 153-160

Conniry offers a chronological account of the evolution of evangelicalism in the United States. By sticking to a historical perspective, the author details the social and political changes that led to the re-invention of evangelicalism across different cultural epochs, and the significant effects that the movement exerted on society. His work is a credible and informative insight into the role of evangelicalism in the United States’ history. 

Holladay, J. D. (1982). English Evangelicalism, 1820—1850: Diversity and Unity in "Vital Religion." Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church, 51(2), pp. 147-157

In this article, Holladay reviews the fundamental history of evangelicalism in the England and notes the developments that led to the unification of the protestants under a single ideology of a vital religion. While acknowledging the various dissenting sides of protestants, Holladay appreciates the role of evangelicals in providing an alternative perspective to citizens in the Victorian era in the midst of several social, economic and political developments, catastrophes and events, which threatened the stability of the kingdom. In the end, Holladay demonstrates that the evangelicals’ rational approach to the need of a progressive (yet conservative) religion was a fundamental pillar that supported and shaped the English society.

Introduction

Evangelicalism is a dominant force in the history of America and Britain, especially beginning from the 18^th century when the protestant denomination emerged. A central issue among historians and theologians has been the formulation of a standard definition for the term ‘evangelical.’ While it is generally agreed that the term emanates from the biblical notion of ‘good news’ as espoused in the new testament, its execution and practice, especially in the mainstream society has evoked several reactions from scholars and theologians alike. For that reason, the term’s definition has evolved over time in different cultural and religious spaces. Despite these evolutions, evangelicalism is wholly tied to one significant concept that has made it a force to reckon with in both states – piety. Consequently, with the rising popularity of evangelicalism from the 18^th century until the 20^th century, evangelicalism shaped the trends and consciousness of society, thereby giving rise to popular ideologies that curated social and political policies in the two states, depending on the then current pressing issues.

The Evolution of Evangelicalism

Evangelicalism appears to have been a constantly evolving phenomenon in the religious realm, taking various forms that best fit the believers of the time. For instance, Conniry (2008) notes that in Europe the term was first used in the 16^th century to denote Catholic intellectuals who challenged the more secular practices of the church. Notably, these intellectuals criticized the clergy’s propensity towards what appeared to be secular beliefs, and advocated for more biblical practices. Later, the term was used to identify dissenters who broke away from the Roman Catholic Church. In the 17^th century, the word was used to identify Lutheran Christians from Calvinist Christians, before later becoming synonymous with believers who professed Protestantism. A similar revolution is evident in the US, where it referred to Protestants between the 16^th and 19^th centuries. However, “after the Civil War, the term all but disappeared, and Protestants were either fundamentalists or modernists” (Conniry, 2008, p. 153). In the midst of all this evolution, evangelicalism came to be defined as quintessentially comprising four unique traits according to David Bebbington.

Firstly. Evangelicalism was rooted in ‘conversionism,’ a belief that emphasized the need for an individual to make a deliberate decision to follow the teachings of Christ as their Lord and Savior. Secondly, evangelicalism was founded on the principles of ‘Biblicism,’ which revered teachings of the bible and held the scriptures as the ultimate form of truth, and whose authority was supposed to guide Christians. Thirdly, evangelicalism incorporated an aspect of ‘crucicentrism,’ which emphasized the experience of Jesus on the cross as a turning point for Christians. Through Jesus’s crucifixion, Christians had a chance to atone for their sins and become one with Christ. Lastly, and perhaps most critical in the role of evangelicalism in history, the movement was known for ‘activism,’ which was largely interpreted as the need to actively spread evangelicalism to all people, through good deeds, missionary and philanthropic activities, and social reforms. On the backbone of these key characteristics, evangelicalism influenced American and British histories as follows.

Role of Evangelicalism in the US History

In the United States, evangelicalism was the reason behind the increased calls for morality, and improvement of the self, as well as society around evangelicals. According to its key proponents, evangelicals had a duty to society and the church at large to ensure that they stood out among other religions and denominations through their actions towards others. In fact, evangelicals believed that other subtler religions acted as their foes because their failure to actively participate in society’s improvement – whether spiritually or physically – contributed to its degradation. While discussing a history of the Welsh evangelicalism, Jones (2011) aptly describes this perception:

Evangelicals therefore defined themselves against two foes; against nominal religion within the existing churches and against irreligion in the surrounding culture and society; they invariably regarded themselves as the remnant, the chosen few, the custodians of the true faith whose raison d’être was the evangelization of the ungodly and the maintenance, and where necessary the defense, of the true gospel. (p. 374)

To this end, various forms of evangelicalisms joined towards the spread of the gospel, often criticizing immorality, championing piety, and encouraging the strict observance of scriptures. In addition, there visible contribution to the betterment of society placed adequate favor upon them from the masses. Furthermore, in an effort to encourage simplicity and the departure from a focus on material wealth, evangelicalism abolished traditional liturgical procedures in favor of simple and relatable ones that expressed humility and evoked charisma among believers. Evangelicals also tended to lean towards what Noll (1993) calls “civic humanism and moral philosophy of common sense” (p. 620). This new philosophy meant that the church was more inclined to embracing emerging technology and science, which made more sense than staunch puritanical edicts rooted in mystical beliefs; hence, the church was more agreeable to the lay men.

The emphasis on social reforms led evangelicals towards conservatism and open charity work, which evoked a sense of national duty of a “Christian America” towards the vulnerable. Evangelicals set the pace in establishing missions to cater to the poor, which provided food and shelter to meet their basic needs. In addition, it advocated for the improvement in working conditions of workers, as well as the abolition of slavery in the United States. The movement also led to significant empowerment of women in the church leadership, especially considering the patriarchal foundation upon which the church existed at the time (Elder, 2012). These changes in philosophy significantly influenced the development of the US history.

Role of Evangelicalism in the British History

In Britain, evangelicalism is touted as one of the key forces that led to the stabilization of the kingdom amidst turmoil and insecurity in governance, especially during the industrial revolution. Noteworthy, the industrial revolution brought significant reforms in the kingdom. New inventions made work easier, led to more accumulation of capital, and created starkly contrasting social classes (Holladay, 1982). In addition, the 18^th century Britain saw a strong regurgitation of the need for social reforms, which threatened the stability of governance – both in the spiritual and temporal realms. In pursuit of remaining true to the scriptures, evangelicalism promoted humility and rationality, through the insistence on the practice of ‘vital religion.’ According to Holladay (1982), vital religion referred to the evangelicals’ description of “their very personal experience of Christian faith” (p. 151). Noteworthy, while evangelicalism did not promote secularism it did not condemn the much-demanded social reforms. Instead, the movement used its influence to encourage people to focus on themselves and ensure that in the midst of all temporal unfolding, their souls remained pure to experience the joy of the ‘vital religion.’ In addition, it championed causes to safeguard the welfare of the poor in society and the betterment of general societal conditions and amenities. Holladay (1982) adds that “by the second quarter of the nineteenth century evangelicalism’s influence on English society was deeply entrenched and readily apparent in the high-mindedness and practical concern for the betterment of conditions among the poor” (p. 151). As a result, the sweeping influence of the evangelicals led to a more composed English society, which was able to cushion the myriads of shock that swept society during the Victorian era.

Conclusion

In sum, evangelicalism played critical roles in the shaping of British and American histories, mostly due to its strict observance of piety and its characteristics of proactive Christianity. Evangelicalism did not want to be an observer of the society’s conditions; instead, it worked hard to ensure that it was part of the solutions to the numerous problems facing believers. Its approach on humility as well as the welfare of its believers made it a force to reckon with, and attracted significant followership from citizens. In turn, the movement used this influence to encourage a national concern towards the welfare of society, as well as to ignite change that improved the governance structures of the two countries. While there is a strong insistence on the separation between the church and the state, it is correct to posit that the church (especially the evangelicals) significantly influenced the social outcomes of the two countries – and hence their histories.