The New Conversion: Why We 'Become Christians' Differently Today
Evangelicals are undergoing a sea change understanding when it comes to this pivotal moment in the believer's life.
It is not an overstatement to say that evangelicals are experiencing a "sea change"—a paradigm shift—in their understanding of conversion and redemption, a shift that includes the way in which they think about the salvation of God, the nature and mission of the church, and the character of religious experience. Although there is no one word to capture where evangelicals are going in this regard, there is a word that captures what they are leaving behind: revivalism.
Revivalism is a religious movement heir to both the 17th-century Puritans and the renewal movements of the 18th century, but one that largely emerged in the 19th century. It was broadly institutionalized in the 20th century in the conservative denominations in North America as well as in parachurch and mission agencies that then in turn spread the movement within North America and globally. For evangelicals up until at least a generation ago, the language of conversion was the language of revivalism; it shaped and in many ways determined their approach to worship, evangelism, and spiritual formation.
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Books by Gordon T. Smith
Transforming Conversion: Rethinking the Language and Contours of Christian InitiationAmazon Link
Beginning Well: Christian Conversion & Authentic Transformation
Amazon Link
Thought provoking. One quote: "The majority of evangelical Christians now live outside of the West and to a great extent are either self-identified Pentecostals or significantly influenced by the Pentecostal and charismatic movement of the past century."
ReplyDeleteI think I would need to see the stats on the 2nd half of that. I suppose it depends on one's definition of "significantly influenced."