A “Bonus” Brief Book Summary from Books At a Glance
Editor’s Note: This begins our brief series of “Bonus” very brief, introductory-type summaries of books on the history of Evangelicalism. We begin with Bebbington’s landmark book, which we will follow next week with a critique in Haykin & Stewards, The Advent of Evangelicalism.
Introduction
This famous study is widely noted for defining evangelicalism by its four core characteristics—often called the Bebbington Thesis, or the Bebbington Quadrilateral. Bebbington famously identifies evangelicalism through four interrelated pillars:
- Biblicism – a distinctive reliance on the authority and sufficiency of the Bible.
- Crucicentrism – a focus on the atoning death of Christ on the cross.
- Conversionism – the belief in the necessity of being “born again” or personally converted.
- Activism – the impulse to express faith through effort, mission, and evangelistic zeal.
This framework became a normative definition for scholars and organizations such as the National Association of Evangelicals in 1989.
Key Themes and Interpretations
Evangelicalism’s Origins and Identity
Though his work spans beyond just Evangelicalism in Modern Britain, Bebbington argues that the evangelical movement emerged in the 1730s amid revivalist energy—and in many ways embodied the Enlightenment ideals, reframing faith through reason, personal conviction, and empirical assurance of salvation.
Intellectual Influences: Enlightenment, Romanticism, Modernism
Bebbington explores how three intellectual currents shaped evangelicalism:
- Enlightenment: Evangelicals did not reject reason; rather, figures like Wesley embraced it, believing that faith and rational thought should complement one another.
- Romanticism: The movement’s emphasis on feeling, inspiration, and emotion aligned with evangelical worship and missions, but was also seen with caution for its potential to breed liberal theology.
- Modernism: As cultural values shifted toward self-expression and introspection, this paved the way for charismatic movements and more expressive forms of worship within evangelicalism.
Diversity and Practice within Evangelicalism
Bebbington stresses that evangelicalism has never been monolithic. There’s significant variety across denominational lines, geographical contexts, and social classes. Still, unity emerges from shared convictions and cooperative efforts. In practice, evangelicals developed distinctive worship patterns, aimed evangelistic strategies at youth, promoted missions, and engaged in overseas outreach.
Social Influence and Cultural Hegemony
He concludes that by the late 19th century—especially between 1850 and 1900—evangelicalism was a dominant cultural force across the English-speaking world. But this dominance was not necessarily secure or unchallenged. Bebbington also examines how evangelicals approached societal issues—including gender roles, race relations, and leisure—revealing both progressive and conservative tendencies, along with underlying tensions and inconsistencies. . . .
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