What does evangelicalism mean?
Evangelicalism is a noun denoting a major tradition within Protestant Christianity that emphasizes the supreme authority of the Bible, the necessity of personal conversion — often described as being 'born again' — and the duty to share the gospel with others. The word derives ultimately from the Greek euangelion, meaning 'good news,' which also gives us 'gospel.' Historically, evangelicalism took shape during the religious revivals of the eighteenth century in Britain and North America, associated with figures such as John Wesley and George Whitefield, and it has remained a powerful force in Anglophone religious life ever since. By extension, the word can describe fervent advocacy of any cause, as when someone's enthusiasm for a diet or technology is called evangelical. In contemporary discourse, especially in the United States, the term frequently carries political and cultural connotations, so context matters greatly when using it.
A movement within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of Scripture, personal conversion, and active evangelism.
"Historians trace the origins of evangelicalism to the transatlantic revivals of the eighteenth century."
Usually treated as a mass noun; it takes singular agreement.
Fervent advocacy of or devotion to a cause.
"Her evangelicalism on the subject of open-source software made her a fixture at developer conferences."
Figurative extension of the primary sense; typically used with a prepositional phrase specifying the cause.
Rarely used; occasionally appears in scholarly writing to refer to distinct varieties or traditions of evangelical belief.
"Scholars have catalogued several distinct evangelicalisms across Africa, Asia, and the Americas."
The word 'evangelical' traces back to the Greek for 'good news' — so evangelicalism is literally the movement of good-news people.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of evangelicalism
Evangelicalism derives from 'evangelical,' which comes from ecclesiastical Latin evangelicus and Greek euangelikos, built on euangelion ('good news' or 'gospel'), from eu- ('good') and angelma ('message'). The English adjective 'evangelical' was used from early modern times to describe the gospel or Lutheran teaching, and the noun form arose later to denote the movement itself. Cognates include 'evangelist,' 'evangelize,' and 'gospel,' which descends from Old English gōd spell, a calque of the same Greek term.
Related word forms
How evangelicalism is actually used
In modern usage the term most often refers specifically to the Protestant religious movement, particularly in an American context, where it carries strong political and cultural connotations. The figurative sense — zealous advocacy of a secular cause — is usually recognizable from context but is considerably less common. Because of its charged cultural associations, writers should be mindful that the word can evoke particular political affiliations for some readers.
Easily confused with evangelicalism
Evangelism is the activity of spreading the Christian gospel, while evangelicalism is the broader religious movement and set of beliefs associated with emphasizing conversion and evangelism.