The Evangelical Movement of Wales, formed in 1948, came to light as a counter move by
reformed Christians
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words '' Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ ...
to the
liberal theology
Religious liberalism is a conception of religion (or of a particular religion) which emphasizes personal and group liberty and rationality. It is an attitude towards one's own religion (as opposed to criticism of religion from a secular position ...
which was gaining influence into the
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
denominations of
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
during the 20th century. The Movement is a fellowship of churches and individuals who accept and recognise the
Holy Scriptures
Religious texts, including scripture, are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They differ from literature by being a compilation or discussion of beliefs, mythologies, ritual pra ...
, as originally given, as the infallible Word of God and of divine inspiration, and their sole authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Movement serves both
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
speakers. Given this bilingual focus, where appropriate, parallel and corresponding status is given to both languages in their work.
Aims
The Movement's stated aims are:
*the promotion of a true and faithful witness to the fundamental truths of the Christian faith and to the essential spiritual unity of those who subscribe to it,
*to bring others to a personal knowledge of the Lord
Jesus
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religiou ...
Christ
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
and to encourage such to live a godly life,
*to foster
evangelism, experiential religion and a concern for
revival,
*to provide means for uniting and co-ordinating the witness and fellowship of evangelical churches, fellowships and individual Christians,
*the formation and supervision of evangelical fellowships,
*the publication distribution and sale of English & Welsh literature consistent with the doctrinal belief of the Movement and to facilitate the same to open such shops and other outlets as may be necessary for these purposes,
*to provide Christian workers who subscribe to the movement's doctrinal belief with advice and support,
*to provide theological education and training for persons aspiring to Christian service within the evangelical constituency,
*to co-operate with other bodies, at home and abroad, which subscribe to the movement's doctrinal beliefs in the furtherance of the foregoing aims and objects, and
*to help Christians think and act biblically regarding the world in which they live.
History
The Movement's first initiative was to publish ''Y Cylchgrawn Efengylaidd'' (''The Evangelical Magazine''), of which the first edition was November / December 1948.
[Gwyn Davies, ''A Light in the Land'', p. 112] The magazine was originally published in Welsh and soon after a sister magazine was published in English. Editions of the magazine continue to be published every two months in English, and every three months in Welsh, as of 201
The General Secretary of the Movement for 45 years and one of its founders was
J. Elwyn Davies, Rev J. Elwyn Davies, who stated "The Movement became a focus for fellowship, nurture and service for Christians who found themselves placed at a considerable disadvantage in churches and denominations which, to a very considerable extent, had departed from the main tenets of the Christian faith."
The Movement and
Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones (one of its influential supporters), have been influential among Evangelical Christians in Wales and beyond. Experiencing increased hostility in the 1960s and 1970s within their churches, a number of pastors and congregations sympathetic to the Movement left their denominations and set up independent evangelical churches in many parts of Wales.
The Evangelical Movement of Wales operates Bryntirion Press (formerly known as the Evangelical Press of Wales).
See also
*
Christian Hymns (hymnbook)
''Christian Hymns'' is a non-denominational Christian hymnbook.
It was first published in 1977 by the Evangelical Movement of Wales, with a second edition being published in 2004. Large print and music editions of both editions are also publishe ...
Sources
* Davies, Gwyn : 'A Light in the Land - Christianity in Wales 200–2000' : 2002 :
* Gibbard, Noel : 'The history of the Evangelical Movement of Wales 1948–98' : 2002 :
References
External links
Welsh homepageEnglish homepage
{{Authority control
Evangelicalism in the United Kingdom
Christianity in Wales
Evangelical parachurch organizations
Christian organizations established in 1948