evangelicalism
|e-van-gel-i-cal-ism|
/ɪˌvæn.dʒəˈlɪzəm/
gospel-centered movement
Etymology
'evangelicalism' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'euangelion', where 'eu-' meant 'good' and 'angelion' meant 'message' or 'news', via Late Latin 'evangelium' and Medieval Latin/Modern Latin, combined with the suffix '-ism' (from Greek '-ismos' / Latin '-ismus') that forms nouns denoting movements or doctrines.
'euangelion' (Greek) → 'evangelium' (Late Latin) → 'evangelical' (Middle English/Modern English, from Medieval Latin/Old French forms) → 'evangelicalism' (English, formation with '-ism' to denote the movement or doctrine, became common in 18th–19th centuries).
Initially it referred to 'good news' or 'gospel'; over time it came to mean 'relating to the gospel' and then more specifically 'a movement or set of beliefs emphasizing the gospel, conversion, and evangelism.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a movement or tendency within Protestant Christianity emphasizing the authority of the Bible, the necessity of personal conversion (being 'born again'), and active evangelism (spreading the Christian gospel).
Evangelicalism places strong emphasis on personal faith, biblical authority, and mission work.
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Noun 2
in contemporary social and political contexts, a collection of conservative religious beliefs and a social/political constituency that often influences public policy and culture (especially in countries like the United States).
In the election, evangelicalism was a significant voting bloc on social issues.
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Noun 3
historically, the revivalist and missionary impulses within Protestantism that produced large-scale conversion movements (often associated with 18th–19th century revivals).
Scholars study evangelicalism to understand 19th-century revival movements and missionary expansion.
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Last updated: 2025/10/27 14:01