The following comments are extracted from a newsletter for members of the Rural Evangelsim Network The Network draws together representatives from UK rural mission agencies and those with responsibility for rural mission from within the Christian Churches with rural presence. See the website at www.ruralevangelism.net.
Occasionally I meet with people who feel quite strongly about preferring the employment of the word evangelisation instead of the word evangelism. While they are not particularly numerous they often have strong opinions on the topic. It would be easy to adopt a phlegmatic attitude and say that it doesn't really matter. But does it? We would like your views please.
It probably isn’t good enough to simply resort to stating that one word is what Protestants us and the other is used by Catholics. There is a thoughtful article on Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk%3AEvangelization you might like to see. You may also have books on your shelves or articles on file on the subject. It has been a serious controversy (quite apart from whether it should be spelled with a z or an s!), though not unhelpfully divisive.
Evangelism is not a popular word currently in many church contexts (yet increasingly popular linked to secular concepts). Whether you represent a mission agency or a Church within REN, we all have to work with and through local churches, so we need to be careful that the use of certain words and phrases do not put stumbling blocks in the way.
Evangelisation is commonly understood as the process by which the knowledge of the gospel is spread through a range of activities and influences. Some would see evangelism as the actual act of proclaiming the gospel If that distinction is what is in the minds (consciously or unconsciously) of the people we seek to inspire and encourage, should the title of this network be the Rural Evangelisation Network?
Some of our members will feel that it doesn’t matter. But some may well see it differently. Titles carry some idea about what an organisation’s culture and aims are. Picking up on the comments in the Wikipedia article, our current title would suggest that we are a network for people who subscribe to an ideology rather than a network concerned for a process.
It would not be unhelpful to receive your views. Please add your comment.
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