evangelism

   In the nineteenth century, evangelicals and Methodists were one and the same group, derived from the low church Protestantism of John Wesley. Evangelism is a branch of the Church of England which emphasizes that each person’s salvation depends upon his or her own faith. The stress on belief and scripture eclipses that of ritual, good works or sacraments. The more recent outburst of evangelical activity in Britain was boosted by the visits of the American Billy Graham. There are now many charismatic leaders and small churches in the UK, and the more powerful appeal of evangelism alongside New Age religions is recognized as a considerable threat by the Church of England. Evangelism (spreading of the Gospel) has come to mean teaching the immutability of scripture, reflecting growth in religious conservatism worldwide. This view has made headway at the expense of all traditional UK Christian denominations. Evangelicals believe that changes in society will come about as the result of cumulative decisions on the part of individuals rather than by changes in social structures. However, for some, a closer scrutiny of social and economic agendas has evolved (for example, David Sheppard, the recently retired Bishop of Liverpool and a former conventional evangelical, now heads the Church of England’s Board of Social Respon-sibility).

   See also: Anglican Church; Christian Science; Jehovah’s Witnesses

   MIKE STORRY