ABSTRACT
Evangelicalism in the twenty-first century is dynamic, populist, pragmatic, highly individualistic, intellectually shallow, patriotic, and strongly supportive of "the American way of life", which many see as synonymous with conservative politics and the market economy. The vision of America an electnation continued throughout the nineteenth century. Americans gradually sacralized many documents, individuals, rites, and rituals. Linder and Pierard note the basic beliefs shared by evangelical Christianity and liberal Democracy. In America democracy and evangelical Christianity have mutually and significantly influenced each other. The Christian faith, along with other forces, helped forge this republicanism. The nonrestrictive American environment permitted an explosive mixture of religion and politics that helped to Christianize and democratize American popular culture. Revivalism personalized religion and to personalize it is to emotionalize it. Breaking from the conventional pattern, Whitefield preached wherever and whenever he could gather people-any day of the week, at any hour, usually outside of the churches, and often to large crowds.
