Evangelicalism

Definition and Meaning

The Korean term bogeumjuui is a translation of the English word "evangelicalism." The word derives from the Greek euangelion, meaning "good news," that is, the gospel. Evangelicalism is not a single denomination; it refers to a current of faith that spans many traditions, including Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Holiness, and Pentecostal churches. The British historian David Bebbington summarized the distinctive marks of evangelicalism in four points, and his summary is widely cited.

• Conversionism: An emphasis on conversion, in which an individual repents of sin and comes to faith in Christ.
• Biblicism: Regarding the Bible as the final authority for faith and life.
• Crucicentrism: Viewing the atonement, in which Christ paid the penalty for sin on the cross in the place of sinners, as the heart of salvation.
• Activism: Active engagement in evangelism, missions, and service.

Biblical and Historical Background

On the basis of passages such as Romans 1:16, which says of the gospel that "it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth," evangelicals understand the proclamation of the gospel as the central mission of the church.

The term came into use during the sixteenth-century Reformation, when Lutherans called themselves "evangelical." Through the religious revivals of eighteenth-century Britain and America, and particularly through the work of figures such as John Wesley, it took on a meaning close to its present sense. In the mid-twentieth century, "neo-evangelicalism" arose in the United States. This movement sought to distance itself both from the separatist posture of fundamentalism and from liberal theology, and Billy Graham is regarded as its leading figure. The Lausanne Movement, which began with the 1974 congress in Lausanne, Switzerland, affirmed social responsibility, alongside evangelism, as a task of evangelicalism. A leading international evangelical body is the World Evangelical Alliance.

Evangelicalism in the Korean Church

Many of the early missionaries who brought Protestantism to Korea are regarded as having been evangelical in orientation, shaped by the revival movements. For this reason, many hold that an ethos emphasizing conversion, evangelism, and prayer took root throughout the Korean church. The Billy Graham crusade held at Yeouido in 1973 is also frequently cited as an example of this tradition.

In Korea, "evangelicalism" is also commonly used in contrast to the ecumenical movement (the movement for church unity). After the WCC controversy, denominations came to use the term differently.

• Conservative denominations such as the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Hapdong) and the Presbyterian Church in Korea (Kosin) have championed evangelicalism and Reformed theology and have taken a critical stance toward participation in the World Council of Churches.
• Member denominations of the National Council of Churches in Korea, such as the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap) and the Korean Methodist Church, regard themselves as sharing evangelical faith while also emphasizing church unity and social engagement.

The Christian Council of Korea is known as an umbrella organization of conservative evangelical orientation. Within the evangelical camp there is also a current that emphasizes social justice and ethics, of which the Christian Ethics Movement of Korea is cited as an example.