WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 293 of European Evangelical Theologians rejoicing; In the past, in both the WHAT IS EVANGELICAL which was founded after The English-speaking and the German­ Lausanne Congress in 1974 and of speaking world, there was often an THEOLOGY? which I have been chairman for four­ attitude of reluctance with regard to teen years. At our biennial confer­ academic theology. Bloesch even ence there is always a great variety of speaks of an 'anti-theological bias'. Klaas Runia theologians and theologies. From The main reason for this bias was England there are Anglicans, the fact that in most universities and Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists seminaries liberal theology domi­ and Pentecostals. From Germany nated the scene and, unfortunately, there are Lutheran, Reformed, all too often this liberal theology Baptist and Pentecostal theologians. pulled evangelical students from their Among the Dutch participants we evangelical moorings. Naturally, by Is the Evangelical Movement a mood or a system of beliefs or proposi­ encounter various kinds of Reformed this negative attitude the Evangelical tions? Are evangelicals agreed on the essentials? What issues are unan­ theologians (belonging to different Movement itself strengthened the swered? These are themes Professor Runia, the well known European Reformed churches) and also some dominant stance of liberal theology. theologian, addresses in this wide ranging article. He notes that the Baptists. All these people are very By turning their back on solid modern Evangelical Movement has produced few confessions of faith and much aware of their theological academic work they left the field to argues for the need to see divine revelation as a whole. 'roots', and from conviction they the others and forgot to arm their Editor stand in their own theological tradi­ congregations and their own children tion. At the same time they consider against the attacks on the evangelical This paper was originally written very simple question, but in reality it themselves evangelicals. tradition. Too often the most intelli­ as a chapter in a book about the is hard to answer. It is ·quite obvious that within the gent among the evangelical young Evangelical Movement in The I begin with some general remarks. context of such a wide variety it is people were drawn into the liberal Netherlands. During the last twenty First of all we have to ask our­ impossible to speak of a united and camp. years this movement has been grow­ selves: Is there really an evangelical uniform evangelical theology. The Thirdly, in their defence the evan­ ing considerably, and what I like in theology? Is this movement and its American evangelical Donald gelicals quite often resorted to a particular is the fact that in recent theology not too complex and too Bloesch says that evangelicalism is a Simplistic and literalistic quoting of years it has been growing within the variegated for us to be able to speak 'mood' rather than a 'theological sys­ Scripture. They would say: 'Yes, but historical churches. Of late they have of evangelical theology as a clearly tem'. Carl Henry expresses· it some­ Scripture says . . .' What they often even organized a fellowship of evan­ definable entity? what differently: 'Evangelicalism is as did not realize was that they them­ gelical ministers within these histori­ A Dutch sociologist of religion who much a temperament as a theology.' selves were also using glasses for cal churches. And to present studied the movement in the Ralph Winter says it very succinctl¥: reading Scripture, namely, the themselves to the churches and to Netherlands arrived at the following 'It is a movement, not a theology.' glasses of their own tradition. their colleagues they wrote a book on description: 'It is a conglomerate of In spite of all this it is possible to In our reading of Scripture we evangelicalism. fundamentalists, premillennialists, enumerate a number of features nearly always use the tinted glasses They asked me to write a chapter moderate and radical evangelicals, in which can be found in nearly all evan­ that were handed down to us by our on the question: 'What is evangelical short:. groups of believers who differ gelical theologians. I shall come back spiritual ancestors. The German theology?' In itself this seems to be a from each· other on many points of to that presently. evangelical theologian W. Schlichting their beliefs.'l My second observation is that the wrote: 'The blind spot of the biblicists This corresponds with my own growing interest in theology among is that they do not realize to what. Prof.dr. K Runia was fonnerly Professor of experiences in FEET, the Fellowship evangelical theologians is a matter for extent their own thinking is influ­ Practical Theology at the Refonned Semi­ nary, Kampen, The Netherlands, and a enced by the time in which they live, long standing member of the W.E.F. Theo­ 1. H. C. Stoffels, Wandelen in het licht, 2. R. Winter, Christianity Today, (1976), by their predecessors and their logical Commission. (1990), p. 72. pp, 37ff. surroundings-while they criticize 294 KLAASRUNIA WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 295 this attitude severely in others.,3 We Sanctification of the sinner. (8) The ing world of Pietism and for the A good and helpful summary of the should always remember that all Immortality of the Soul, the Resur­ Netherlands of the soc. 'Nadere main tenets of the evangelical faith theology, including our own evangeli­ rection of the Body, the Judgment of Reformatie', which literally means: and theology· is to be found in the cal theology, is 'contextual', that is, the World by our Lord Jesus Christ, the More Precise or Further Refor­ so-called Lausanne Covenant of influenced and sometimes even with the Eternal Blessedness of the mation with a view to both personal 1974, which was drafted largely by shaped by the culture we live in. Righteous, and the Eternal Punish­ piety and personal morality. John Stott. My fourth and last observation is ment of the Wicked. (9) The Divine c. The third layer is formed by the Without wanting to minimize the that evangelicals are often inclined to Institution of the Christian Ministry, various Revival Movements in the influences of Fundamentalism and summarize the Christian faith in a and the obligation and perpetuity of 18th and 19th centuries. These Pentecostalism, 1 still believe that the number of 'main truths' or 'central the ordinances of Baptism and the 4 movements occurred mainly in the first three layers are decisive for the propositions'. These more or less iso­ Lord's Supper. English-speaking world, but in entire Evangelical Movement. One lated and disconnected truths and Germany and the Netherlands there can trace the main emphases of propositions constitute the platform were similar revivals. evangelical theology via these three upon which evangelicals meet and TRADITIONS OF THE In addition to these three main layers. recognize each other. EVANGEUCAL MOVEMENT layers which are common to all evan­ Naturally, they always exist within This occurred at the foundation of Naturally these central propositions gelicals throughout the whole world, the various traditions of the countries the first Evangelical Alliance in were not selected at random. There there are two more movements concerned, and are therefore always Britain, in the year 1846. The found­ is a theological interrelationship be­ which had their beginnings in our coloured by their particular context. ing fathers selected nine propositions tween them, an interrelationship own century and which have deeply Anglican evangelicals are usually from their Protestant heritage and which results from the fact that the influenced certain quarters of the deeply influenced by the Calvinistic adopted them as the basis of the. Evangelical Movement has its own Evangelical Movement. tradition and in many ways are rather Alliance. Nearly all Evangelical 'tradition' . In the first place I am thinking of 'Reformed' in their theology. British Alliances and many other Evangelical One can discern at least three main the movement of Fundamentalism evangelicals belonging to the Free Associations have followed this 'layers' in this tradition. which in the period of 1910-1930, Churches or to the so-called Free example. a. The bottom-layer is the Refor­ in reaction against liberal theology, Groups are usually more Arminian in The propositions adopted in 1846 mation of the 16th century. Nearly had a great impact on American their theology-often more unwit­ were the following: all evangelicals trace their pedigree evangelicalism and, from America, tingly than intentionally-, while the (1) The Divine Inspiration, Author­ back to this Reformation. As a matter also on European evangelicalism. Free Groups also show many marks ity, and Sufficiency of the Holy Scrip­ of. fact, originally the term 'evangeli­ In the second place there is the of the Revival Movements. tures. (2) The Right and Duty of cal' was synonymous with 'reforma­ Pentecostal Movement, which in German 'Evangelikalen' (the name Private Judgment in the Interpreta­ tional' and was the opposite of the very first year of our century also was transliterated from the English tion of the Holy Scriptures. (3) The 'poperish' or 'papistic'. Evangelicals started in America and gradually word 'evangelicals', because in Ger­ Unity of the Godhead, and the Trinity like to speak of the solas of the spread over the entire world. In the many the term 'evangelical' was al­ of Persons therein. (4) The utter. Reformation: sola fide, sola gratia, second half of this century it acquired ready used by the Lutheran State Depravity of Human Nature, in con­ solus Christusand sola Scriptura. its own place within the Evangelical Churches) find their roots in particu­ sequence of the Fall. (5) The Incarna­ b. The second layer has a different Movement. The initial antagonism, lar in Pietism and to a great extent tion of the Son of God, His work of name in the various European coun­ especially among British evangelicals also in the revival movements. Scan­ Atonement for sinners of mankind, tries, but in each case there is a and German 'Evangelikalen', has dinavian evangelicals usually belong and His Mediatorial Intercession and definite kinship between the move­ little by little given way to a sympa­ to the Lutheran State Churches, Reign. (6) The Justification of the ments concerned. For the English­ thetic hearing and tolerance. This although there are also strong Free sinner by Faith alone. (7) The Work speaking world I am thinking of happened in particular in the sixties Churches, in particular in Norway. of the Spirit in the Conversion and Puritanism, for the German-speak- when Pentecostal ideas, in the form The Dutch Evangelical Alliance 4. Ruth Rouse and Stephen Charles Neill, of the so-called Charismatic Move­ consists mainly of people belonging 3. W. Schlichting, Theologische Beitrage, A History of the Ecumenical MOlJement, ment, acquired their own legitimate to the so-called Free Groups who are (1975), pp. 163ff. (1954), p. 320. place within the historical churches. usually deeply influenced by the ideas 296 KLAASRUNIA WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 297 and ideals of the revival movement. Puritanism in Great Britain, to the basis of Holy Scripture that I am points· of the Evangelical Movement At the same time there is an increas­ Pietism in Germany and Scandina­ wrong, I will recant. But if you can't often reveal their weakness as well. ing number of ministers in the histori­ via, and to the 'More Precise' Refor­ do this, I will adhere to this gospel, This is quite clear in the case of Holy cal churches who consider mation in the Netherlands. even if it may cost me my life.' Calvin, Scripture. themselves evangelicals. Last year As is to be expected, this threefold and the other Reformers as well, was Making a careful study of evangeli­ they organized themselves in an theological harmony does not mean a Scriptural theologian too. For him cal theology, one soon discovers that association which has as its aim the uniformity. Again and again one no­ the Bible was the final court of in spite of the common recognition spreading of evangelical ideas within tices different emphases within the appeal. It is not surprising, therefore, of the formal authority of Scripture, the United Protestant Church, which common background. And yet, in that nearly all Reformed Confessions there often are far-reaching differ­ will be a union of the two largest spite of these differences in ecclesias­ contain a long chapter or article on ences in the interpretation of Scrip­ Reformed Churches and the tical tradition, the common charac­ Holy Scripture as the inspired and ture. At this very point it becomes Evangelical Lutheran Church in the teristics are so manifest that one authoritative Word of God. manifest that, indeed, there is no Netherlands. evangelical recognizes the other as a From its very beginning the Evan­ common evangelical theology. What fellow-evangelical. When theologians gelical Movement emphasized this is often lacking is the recognition of from different European· countries authority of Holy Scripture as the the unity of Scripture. ESSENTIALS OF THE and from different ecclesiastical tradi­ Word of God and its normativity as This may also be the reason why EVANGEUCAL MOVEMENT tions meet each other every two to both doctrine and the Christian the bases of evangelical associations In spite of all the differences, which years at the FEET Conference, they life. As w.e have already seen, the first often consist of a number of more or largely result from the differing have no difficulty at all in accepting article of the basis of the British Evan­ less 'loose', disconnected points of national, cultural and theological con­ each other as fellow evangelicals. gelical Alliance speaks of: 'the Divine doctrine. Within the Evangelical texts, the threefold stratification of For this reason it is worthwhile to Inspiration, Authority, and Suffi­ Movement there have been very few, the tradition, which I mentioned elaborate on these common features. ciency of the Holy Scriptures,5. This if any, attempts to produce a confes­ before, means that most evangelicals does not mean that these people sion of faith. A typical feature of the do have certain common traits. They were blind to the humanity or, if you ecclesiastical confessions was and is commonly consist of the following I Holy Scripture as the Word of prefer, the human side of the Bible that the truth, proclaimed in Scrip­ essentials. God (although perhaps they paid too little ture, is seen as an organic whole. (a) The unconditional acceptance The unconditional acceptance of the attention to it). In the face of the One can easily discover this unity in of Holy Scripture as the authorita­ Bible as the Word of God is charac­ prevailing liberalism of the day their both the confessions of the various tive Word of God for us. teristic of all evangelicals and this puts main concern was the sufficiency, the churches· (such as the Thirty-Nine (b) Personal faith in Jesus Christ them clearly in line with the 16th clarity or perspicuity and the norma­ Articles or the Westminster Confes­ and his work of salvation and a century Reformers. The Reformation tivity or authority of Holy Scripture. sion) and the catechisms (such as the personal relationship with him by the was a movement 'back to Scripture' However, more has to be said Heidelberg Catechism and the work of the Holy Spirit. and to the gospel proclaimed in it. In here. As we will presently see, when Shorter and Larger Catechism of (c) The emphasis on the mission­ the course of the centuries all kinds we deal with the other main features Westminster). Compared with this ary task of the individual believer and of ecclesiastical and theological tradi­ of evangelical theology, the strong unity of the various confessions and of the congregation as a whole. tions had been added to the Bible, catechisms evangelical thinking is These three essentials are obvi­ with the result that the gospel of free 5. Cf. the second paragraph of the often rather fragmentary. The closest ously due to the historical develop­ grace had been obscured. Lausanne Covenant, which deals with the the movement has come to a confes­ authority and power of the Bible and opens ment I sketched before. These three In his defence of this gospel Luther with the statement: 'We affirm the divine in­ sion is perhaps the so-called main tenets of the Evangelical time and again appealed to Scripture. spiration, truthfulness and authority of both Lausanne Covenant, which shows Movement clearly emerge from the He refused to be silenced by an Old and New Testament SCriptures in their that as a world-wide movement the three-layered tradition. The first appeal to the Church Fathers or to entirety as the only written Word of God, Evangelical Movement is also able to essential goes back to the Reforma­ important medieval theologians. without error in all that it affirms and the only draft a joint and united confessional infallible rule of faith and practice.' J. D. tion of the 16th century with its sola When this was demanded of him, he Douglas ed., Let the Earth Hear His Voice, statement. Scriptura. The second goes back to replied: 'Only if you can show me on (1975), p. 3). Many evangelicals are inclined to 298 KLAASRUNIA WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 299 adopt a biblicistic approach to the In his new dogmatics Donald Bloesch The Bible is as trustworthy and reli­ law, by becoming a curse in our stead Bible. In particular in eschatology emphasizes that Scripture is both the able as the God who speaks in it.,8 (Gal. 3: 13). For the same reason, the there is a tendency to collect and mix Word of God and the word of men. idea of substitution is a central tenet all kinds of statements from very He appeals to the way Calvin used of their Christian faith. different biblical contexts and to take the concept of 'accommodation' in 11 Jesus Christ and his Saving All this is not a matter of abstract them literally, which often leads to his doctrine of revelation. God is like Work theoretical knowledge only. It is a strange conceptions, such as two a nurse who bows down to the child The second main emphasis in evan­ matter of the heart, which has been Second Comings, two or even three and chatters with it in a child's limited gelical theology is on Jesus Christ touched by the Holy Spirit. Being a Resurrections from the dead, etc. language. In a similar way the Spirit and his saving work. At this point, nominal member of the church, even Fortunately the days are gone where has given to the writers of the Bible too, evangelicals stand wholly and attending church services regularly evangelicals judged each other by 'a reliable but incomplete knowledge intentionally within the tradition of and participating in the sacraments is their acceptance or non-acceptance of God's will and purpose'? the entire Christian church. They be­ not enough. Faith has to be a living of the rapture before, during or after We have also noticed that in recent lieve that Jesus· Christ is the eternal faith and should· be accompanied by the great tribulation. years quite a few evangelical theolo­ Son of God, who, for us and our personal experience. In other words, Another point that has to be men­ gians have been willing to make use salvation, became man (the Nicene there· has to be an awareness of the tioned here is that although all Evan­ of some of the methods and results Creed) and who through his suffering work of the-spirit in one's life. There gelicals share the· conviction that the of the so-called historical-critical and death on the Cross reconciled us has to be.a·knowledge of being born writings of the Old and New Testa­ research of Scripture, while at the with God. They insist that we may again and of conversion. ments are inspired by the Holy same time they refuse to share the not give up any of the so-called saving When it comes to the 'form' of Spirit, they are by no means unani­ often. hyper-critical approach to facts: the Virgin Birth, the Cross, the conversion, there are some differ­ mous as to what we must understand Scripture. Initially there was a strong Resurrection, the Ascension, the ences of opinion among evangelicals by this inspiration. opposition to this historical-critical Session at God's right hand and the (is conversion instantaneous, so that Evangelical theologians of a for­ approach to Scripture, because it Second Coming (the Apostles' one can mention time and place, or mer generation were often not far started from presuppositions that Creed). With the Lausanne Covenant is it more in the nature of a process?), removed from a mechanical concep­ were contrary to the self-testimony of they confess that there is only one but generally evangelicals do not pre­ tion of inspiration. At times they gave Scripture. But it cannot be denied Redeemer and only one gospel. scribe a particular· method or a par­ the impression that the Holy Spirit that the advocates of this approach This emphasis on the saving work ticular emotional manifestation. The had 'dictated' the contents of SCrip­ had come upon a real problem. of Christ is linked to a deep aware­ emphasis is on the fact of conver­ ture. The theologians of the 'Old Another point, related to the fore­ ness of the sinfulness of man. Such sion, not on its particular form. Princeton School' (Hodge Sr and Jr, going, is the question of whether we texts as Isa. 6:5-'Woe to me, I am In all these matters there is a close and Warfield) liked to speak of should speak of the inerrancy of the ruined. For I am a man of unclean affinity between present-day evan­ 'verbal' inspiration.6 I am happy to Bible. Champions of inerrancy usu­ lips, and I live among a people of gelicals and the Puritans and the see that today very few evangelical ally claim that the Bible is inerrant in unclean lips ... '; and Luke 5:8-'Go Pietists of the 17th and 18th centu­ theologians are willing to go that far. all respects, not only in its theological away from me, Lord; I am a sinful ries. They too used to put a strong contents but also in all geographical man'; and Rom. 7:24-'1 am an emphasis on the work of the Spirit. and historical details. Others prefer unspiritual man, sold as a slave to It is he who regenerates and con­ 6. Cf. also Milton, Paradise Lost, Book 9, to speak of the reliability, veracity and sin', strike a deep chord in evangeli­ verts. It is he who causes a person to 11,20-25 truthfulness of the Bible, taking these cals, because they know these feel­ understand and believe the gospel.· It If any answerable style J can obtain ings from personal experience. They is he who teaches and enables us to Of my celestial Patroness, who deigns terms in their original historical Her nightly visitation unimplored, sense: the Bible never fails to· fulfil believe that Jesus Christ has pray. Prayer itself is more than recit­ And dictates to me slumbering, or inspires the promises it offers in the name of redeemed us from the curse of the ing a set form of prayers. Prayer is Easy my unpremeditated verse .... God. In the words of Wayne Grudem: pouring out your heart before the His nephew Eduard Philips teUs us that 8. Wayne A. Grudem, in D. A. Carson and heavenly Father. Furthermore, it is Milton used to wake up in the morning with J. D. Woodbridge (eds), Scripture and Truth, the Spirit who sanctifies us and lines of poetry fully formed in his head. Blind, 7. Donald G. Bloesch, Christian Founda­ (1983), p. 58. enables us to fight against sin from he then dictated them. tions, part 2, Holy Scripture, (1994), p. 121. 300 KLAASRUNIA WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 301 within and temptation from without. decision that they are almost blind to ment is so influential in evangeliCal Evangelicals are undoubtedly right It is the Spirit, too, who gUides us in the work of God's electing love. circles. There is a mutual recognition in stressing the necessity of personal our personal decisions. All these con­ Many of them are, quite often unin­ of a shared faith which is the fruit of sanctification. Exactly at this point victions, which were typiCal of the tentionally, Arminian rather than personal experience. Even when one some of the ideas of John Wesley are Puritans and the Pietists, hold good Calvinistic. They actually follow the does not accept the specifiC charis­ still operative. He himself believed in for modern evangelical spirituality. lead of John Wesley, who in his matic tenets of a Spirit-baptism as a the possibility of 'Christian perfec­ But there are also some problem doctrine of grace distinguished two kind of 'second blessing' and evi­ tion' as a kind of 'second blessing', areas as regards the work of the lines: (a) God's grace is entirely free, denced by speaking in tongues, the although as far as I know he never Spirit. I believe that evangelicals that is, grace comes from God alone. very fact that the Charismatics (and claimed it for himself. Afterwards acknowledge the sovereignty of (b) God's grace is free for all, that is, the Pentecostals as well) appeal to similar ideas were active in the God. As to regeneration, conversion, all people are invited to accept it. the work of the Spirit is enough to so-called Keswick Movement. sanctification, spirituality and guid­ Whether or not they do this, depends make them acceptable as fellow-be­ Such ~rong emphasis on per­ ance, they all admit that we are totally entirely on their own decision. lievers and fellow-evangelicals. In sonal sanctifiCation has its drawbacks dependent on the Spirit. Yet, at this The Reformers had a different 1974 they were prominently present too. (a) In the first place it can easily very same point we also encounter approach. They all saw God's gra­ at Lausanne and they are also always lead to an attitude of legalism. Cer­ 'tensions' within the evangelical cious and electing love behind the in attendance at the FEET Confer­ tain 'forms' of sanctification become community . To a large extent these human decision (whiCh they did not ences. normative and function as criteria for tensions date back to· the Revival deny). And this was not an alarming, The emphasis on personal experi­ judging others. Quite often these Movements of the 18th and 19th but a liberating idea for them: the ence may also lead to individualism. 'forms' are negative: no drinking, no centuries. certainty of my salvation does not The idea of the covenant, which smoking, not keeping up with the In some sections of these move­ depend on my prayers, my reading plays such a prominent part in the latest fashion, no dancing, etc. There ments strong emphasis was put on of Scripture, my going to church, my Bible" (not only in the Old Testament, is a double risk here: (1) of using these the human free will and its free sanctification or my witnessing, but it but in the background also in the New criteria as a means of finding out decision to choose for God. For this is anchored in the fact that God holds Testament, for instance in the bap­ whether the other people are true reason John Wesley called the maga­ me in his loving hand. Indeed, that is tism of entire families and in the fact evangelicals and (2) of sifting out the zine he edited 'The Arminian Maga­ the reason why I pray and read the that children are 'holy' in and with gnat and swallowing the camel (Matt. zine'. But at this very point there was . Bible, why I go to church and fight the believing partner, (1 Cor. 7:14), 23:24). Leland D. Hine, an Ameri­ a deep division between him and against my sins and bear witness to hardly plays any part in the thought can evangelical, wrote some twenty­ other revivalists, such as George the gospel. and life of many evangelicals. five years ago in the magazine Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, Obviqusly, we have to keep in Related to this is the fact that to Eternity that some evangelicals will who always emphasized God's elect­ mind that the emphasis on personal many of them the congregation is not never drink even the smallest nip of ing purpose and believed that no experience, on regeneration and so much an 'organism', composed of the weakest wine, but at the same person comes to Christ, unless he conversion, and on personal holiness believing families rather than of time they may act discriminatingly has been convinced by the Spirit. In may easily lead to subjectivism, believing individuals, but more a vol­ against a fellow Christian, because he the 19th century Charles G. Finney personal experience becoming the untary association of born-again happens to belong to another race. again emphasized the free will of central and decisive aspect of our people, who recognize each other as (b) Too many evangelicals are still man. It was he, too, who introduced faith. Our personal experience can such and who want to celebrate the heedless of 'structural evils',· which the custom of asking people to come also easily become the hermeneutical communion with God in common abound in our society. They regard forward and of praying with them, in key for reading the Bible and the worship. the 'free market' system almost as an order to bring them to the right deci­ criterion by which we judge others. On the same grounds many evan­ integral part of the Christian life style. sion. He even believed that in this He or she who does not share our gelicals reject infant baptism. Only Fortunately much has changed dur­ way conversion can be 'exacted' particular experience is only a the person who has deliberately ing the last decades. In Lausanne the from God. second-rate Christian. chosen for Christ and has experi­ obligation to engage in social activi­ In our day, too, manyevangelicals The emphasis on experience also enced the work of the Spirit in his ties was mentioned immediately after put so much emphasis on the human explains why the Charismatic Move- own life may be baptized. the call to witness to the gospel. 302 KLAASRUNIA WHAT IS EVANGELICAL THEOLOGY? 303 III The Missionary Task of the Unanswered Questions of the institutional church. They pray (c) The third possibility is that of People of God not only for a revival of the church, annihilation (sometimes also called This leads me to the third layer in the The Nature of the Church a work of the Spirit himself, but are the doctrine of 'conditional immortal­ evangelical tradition: the missionary Unfortunately, in evangelical think­ also willing to engage)n the duty of ity'). According to this view the be­ calling. This characteristic dates ing there are a few more problem reforming of the church, a task in lievers will go. to heaven in order to back to the 18th and 19th century areas we have to face. The first one which .. we ourselves are always be eternally with God and the Lord Revival Movements, which initiated is the doctrine of the church. Evan­ involved. Jesus Christ (cf. Revel. 21:23; 22:3), the modern Missionary Movement. gelicals usually put the whole stress but after the general resurrection of Most evangelicals see witnessing to on the spiritual unity of all true Eschatological Issues the dead, the unbelievers will be Christ as the first task of a believer. believers, but often they do this at the The last problem area I want to men­ destroyed by God, so that they cease How should one who has been saved expense of the visible, institutional tion is the doctrine of eschatology. to~t. from the fire of God's righteous church. Evangelicals wholeheartedly believe Most evangelicals, in line with the wrath not help other people to be Of course, one ought to be a mem­ that at the end of history Jesus will tradition of the Early Church, of the saved as well? ber of the local church or group, but come again and inaugurate the full­ Medieval Church, of the Roman Already in the introduction to the at the same time one experiences the ness of the kingdom of God, which Catholic Church, the Eastern Lausanne Covenant we read that we deepest level of spiritual fellowship in already became manifest in his own Churches and the Churches of the are 'challenged by the unfinished meetings with fellow-evangelicals in words and acts. But there is much Reformation, opt for the first possi­ task of evangelization. We believe Bible study groups or larger evangeli­ disagreement on some· features of bility as the only scriptural view.lO that the gospel is God's good news cal conferences. It is quite customary this doctrine, in particular on the Universaiism, which was advocated for the whole world, and we are to celebrate the Lord's Supper at topic of the Millennium. The funda­ in the Early Church by Origen, in the determined by his grace to obey such conferences, quite apart from mental questions here are of a her­ 16th century by the Socinians and in Christ's commission to proclaim it to any local congregation. In actual fact meneutical nature. This is an added the 19th century by quite a few liberal all mankind and to make disciples of one is thinking and acting in terms of reason why I think that it is of para­ theologians, but also by F. D. all nations. ,9 the so-called 'believers' church' and mount importance for the Evangeli­ Maurice, and in our century is quite I am very happy to note that there is more in line here with the 16th cal Movement to reach a common common among Liberal and Roman ll is a growing awareness among evan­ century Anabaptists than with the hermeneutic. Catholic theologians , has never gelicals that witness and action Reformers of that same century. Another item that will increasingly been a real option for evangelicals. In belong together. More and more The Anabaptists were of the come to the fore is the question: recent years, however, we see that evangelicals realize that there are opinion that the Reformers did not What will be the eternal fate of the third option is gaining ground many social problems in our societies go far enough in their reformation of human beings? In general there are among evangelicals. It is defended by which cry out for a solution and that church and society, as appeared three possibilities. (a) There will be an such eva~elical stalwarts as John Christian social activity is a witness clearly from the fact that they re­ eternal divorce between believers and Wenham1 and John Stott. 13 by itself. In the English-speaking tained the ideas of a national church unbelievers: at death the former will world the impetus to social action and of infant baptism. The Anabap­ go to heaven and will afterwards 10. Cf. for instance, Leon Morris, Euan· tists themselves championed the idea gelical Dictionary of Theology, (1984), comes mainly from the young 'radi­ dwell on the new earth; the latter will pp. 369-70. cal' evangelicals in the USA and in of a 'congregation of born-again peo­ go to hell, where they will be tor­ 11. Cf. John Hick, God and the Universe Britain from people such as John pie', in which there is place only for mented in all eternity. (b) The second of Faiths (1973) and ibid., God has Many Stott. And, of course, in many Third believers' baptism, on the basis of a possibility is the idea of universalism: Faces (1980), and Paul Knitter, No Other personal confession of faith. Name? A Critical Survey of Christian Attitudes World countries evangelicals play a. eventually all rational beings, includ­ Towards the World Religions (1985). See also: major role. This line of thinking recurs in its ing the demons and Satan himself, John Hick and Paul Knitter ed., The Myth of own particular form in the Baptists, will be saved, most likely after a Christian Uniqueness (1987). the Quakers, the Brethren, Pentecos­ longer or shorter period of probation 12. John Wenham, The Enigma of Evil, tal Assemblies, etc. I am happy to and purification, which will lead to (1985), pp. 27ff. note that in recent years many evan­ 13. John Stott, in David L. Edwards/John 9. J. D. Douglas, ed., Let the Earth Hear their conversion and the acceptance Stott, Euangelical Essentials, (1988), His Voice, (1975), p. 3. gelicals begin to see the importance of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. pp. 312ff. 304 KLAASRUNIA I would like to end this short and study hard and should make the incomplete survey of evangelical r~sults of their study available in theology with a twofold conclusion. scholarly publications. I for one 1. It is definitely possible to speak would be inclined to give special of an evangelical theology, at least as attention to the doctrine of Scripture far as the main tenets of the Christian and to hermeneutics. The different faith are concerned. hermeneutical conceptions used 2. There are still many areas where within the Evangelical Movement are evangelicals disagree. In other words, the main cause of the theological there is still much to be done by differences we have noted in this evangelical theologians. They have to paper.