Here are four articles on the state of evangelicalism by biblical scholars, an historian, a missiologist and an artist.
First, the great Australian biblical scholar, Leon Morris asks What do we mean by evangelical? (1,800 words) and nominates a number of essential characterisics of those who use that name.
Rod James discusses the question ‘What do we mean by evangelical Christianity?’ and shows how the answer all revolves around three great principles, that all is of Christ, that all is by grace and that all is in Scripture. (1,800 words)
Then the noted Australian historian, Stuart Piggin, reflects on Two Centuries of Evangelicalism in Australia
(1,600 words) and n otes that throughout almost two hundred years the
mission of Australian evangelical Christianity has been to preserve
society by reforming it along Biblical lines, and to bring its members
to faith in Christ through the proclamation of the Gospel. The
movement’s effectiveness in that mission has been dependent on how
successful it has been in maintaining the evangelical synthesis of Spirit, Word and world.
Fourthly, in Beyond talk – evangelicalism get real
John D’Alton asks, ‘Does evangelicalism have a future in the 21 st
century or has it run out of steam? Is the Titanic doomed to sink or
can we turn her around in time?’ John asks for a re-thinking of the
nature of mission along incarnational lines. He is looking for nothing
less than another Reformation of the church! (1,500 words)
