conversionism

Conversionism is a term used in religious studies to describe the emphasis within evangelical Christianity on the necessity of personal conversion to Jesus Christ. In evangelical scholarship, conversionism is one of the four central emphases identified by historian David Bebbington as part of evangelicalism’s defining profile, alongside biblicism, crucicentrism, and activism. The core idea is that individuals must experience a conscious turning toward God, often described as a “new birth” or born-again experience, which leads to a personal commitment to Christ for salvation.

In practice, conversionism underpins beliefs about how a person enters the Christian faith and how that faith should be lived. It emphasizes a decisive moment or period of decision, followed by ongoing discipleship, moral transformation, and commitment to sharing the gospel with others. Evangelistic outreach, personal testimony, and revival-oriented movements are common expressions of this emphasis, with an emphasis on individual agency in the process of conversion.

Scholars treat conversionism both as a sociological descriptor and a theological claim. While it is widely associated with evangelical Protestantism, variations exist across cultures and denominations. Critics argue that the label can oversimplify diverse experiences of faith and that not all groups identified as evangelical emphasize conversion in the same way. Nevertheless, conversionism remains a widely recognized concept for describing a key motive force behind evangelism and personal faith within much of evangelical Christianity. Related topics include evangelicalism, born again, and proselytism.