A Christian Response to "White Evangelicals"
In 1854, Wesleyan leader Robert Young declared that, “Christianity is essentially aggressive.” He did not mean aggressive as a shocking number of modern white evangelicals mean it--- disrespectful speech or physical posturing; he meant aggressive as in aggressively busy, aggressively evangelizing, aggressively intrusive into the systems of this world, and aggressively requiring Christ-like action and character from its adherence. He was reflecting the evangelicalism of his day which was characterized by vast renewal movements and extensive social action. It was the evangelicalism of D.L Moody who lead massive revivals around the English speaking world; founded Sunday schools, homeless shelters, and orphanages; hosted theological conferences, formed the Moody Bible Institute, which sent missionaries around the world; and shared his pulpit with reformers, women, and preachers from all walks of life. It was a compassionate, activistic, global-focused, fearless evangelicalism. Like all