Evangelical Alliance

The Evangelical Alliance (EA) is an evangelical Christian organisation based in the UK.[1] Founded in 1846, the activities of the EA aim to promote evangelical Christian beliefs in government, media and society.[2] The EA is based in London, with offices in Cardiff, Glasgow and Belfast.[3]

Not to be confused with World Evangelical Alliance.

Evangelical Alliance
FoundedAugust 1846
FoundersEdward Steane, John Henderson of Park, Ridley Haim Herschell and Sir Culling Eardley, 3rd Baronet
TypeEvangelical Christian union
Registration no.212325 (England & Wales) SC040576 (Scotland)
FocusEvangelical Christianity
HeadquartersLondon, N1
Location
  • England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
OriginsLondon, United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom, worldwide
MethodProvides advocacy, advice and information
Members
3,300 churches, 700 organisations
Employees
57 (approx)
Websitewww.eauk.org

History

The Evangelical Alliance was founded in 1846 by Ridley Haim Herschell,[4] Rev. Edward Steane - a Baptist pastor from Camberwell - John Henderson and Sir Culling Eardley, 3rd Baronet.[5] Eardley became the organisation's first chairperson, leading the Alliance in its various campaigns for religious freedom; in 1852, Eardley campaigned on behalf of the Tuscan prisoners of conscience Francesco Madiai and Rosa Madiai,[6][7] who had been imprisoned for their Protestant faith.[8]

Overview

The Evangelical Alliance works across 79 different denominations of Christianity, 750 organisations, and has 3,300 member churches. It is also includes and is linked to a number of separate Christian organisations, such as the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA)[3] - of which it was a founding member - Tearfund, an organisation originally established by the Alliance,[9] and the World Council of Churches, after it announced plans for closer co-operation in January 2015.[10][11] Other member organisations of the EA include Hope 08, Fusion and Serving In Mission (SIM).

The Evangelical Alliance's CEO is Gavin Calver, replacing Steve Clifford in July 2019.[12] Peter Lynas is the Alliance's UK Director, with Fred Drummond acting as Director of Scotland and Siân Rees as Director of Wales.[13] A number of Members of Parliament are associated with the Alliance, mainly through the Conservative Party; Conservative MP and former Conservative Party leadership candidate Stephen Crabb is associated with the Alliance through Gweini (The Council of the Christian Voluntary Sector in Wales),[14] and Conservative MP Stuart Anderson is associated with the Alliance through the Freedom Church. Conservative MP for Congleton Fiona Bruce is a member of the Evangelical Alliance; in 2010, Bruce faced accusations that the Alliance had assisted her in winning the seat of Congleton in the 2010 general election.[15]

Positions

The Evangelical Alliance has historically supported ecumenism - the principle of unity between different church doctrines - with the Roman Catholic Church, an approach criticised by some as in direct contradiction to the beliefs of the Alliance's founders.[16][17] In 2019, the Alliance supported the 'Thy Kingdom Come' initiative - an event organised by the Archbishops of York and Canterbury to bring more people to Christianity through a sustained period of prayer from the dates of the Feast of the Ascension to Pentecost annually.[18] The Alliance is openly opposed to homosexuality and same-sex relationships, preaching sexual abstinence for those with same-sex attractions, with membership for openly lesbian and gay people open only to those who "come to see the need to be transformed" from their same-sex attraction.[14]

References
  1. "Host an EA Sunday". Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  2. "About us". Eauk.org. 3 April 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  3. "WEA - World Evangelical Alliance Est 1846 - Page Whoweare". Worldea.org. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  4. Jacobs, Joseph; Lipkind, Goodman. "Herschell, Ridley Haim". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  5. Rosemary Chadwick, ‘Steane, Edward (1798–1882)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 July 2014
  6. John Wolffe, ‘Eardley, Sir Culling Eardley, third baronet (1805–1863)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 30 July 2014
  7. Anderson, John Shaw (1971). Heroes of the Faith in Italy. Illinois: Bible Truth Publishers. p. 115. ASIN B000Z2ST2Y.
  8. Madiai, Francesco; Madiai, Rosa (12 November 2011). Letters Of The Madiai: And Visits To Their Prisons By The Misses Senhouse. Charleston: Nabu Press. p. 180. ISBN 9781271735235.
  9. Matthew Frost, Tearfund's Chief Executive. "History". Tearfund. Retrieved 6 March 2013.
  10. "WEA and WCC representatives explore possibilities of working together". World Council of Churches website. 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  11. "WEA and WCC Representatives Explore Possibilities of Working Together". WEA website. 22 January 2015. Archived from the original on 23 February 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  12. "Gavin Calver announced as new CEO of the Evangelical Alliance". eauk.org. Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  13. "Meet the staff team of the Evangelical Alliance". eauk.org. Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  14. "Crabb mentality (HP Sauce)". Private Eye (1422). Pressdram Ltd. 8 July 2016. p. 9.
  15. Cook, Chris (16 February 2010). "Christian Tories rewrite party doctrine". ft.com. The Financial Times. Archived from the original on 3 September 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  16. Harris, F.J. (18 January 2014). "Stand fast for authentic evangelicalism". Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  17. Fountain, David (2001). "Today's FIEC and E.J. Poole-Connor, Appendix". Archived from the original on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
  18. "Gavin shares why we're so passionate about joining with Thy Kingdom Come". Retrieved 18 October 2019.

Further reading
  • Massie, James William (1847), The Evangelical Alliance, Its Origin and Development. The first history.
  • Thompson, Todd. "The Evangelical Alliance, Religious Liberty, and the Evangelical Conscience in Nineteenth-Century Britain," Journal of Religious History (2009) 33#1 pp 49–65.
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