A Global Evangelicalism in Taiwan?

Amidst the current lack of literature in the English-speaking world concerning Christianity in Taiwan, the present paper seeks to assess to what extent there truly is a distinctive “Global” (i.e., “contextualized”) expression of Evangelicalism that is unique to Taiwan—this, in contradistinction to other forms of contextualized theologies in Taiwan that are found more within denominations like that Taiwanese Presbyterian Church or the True Jesus Church, etc. The argument which will be advanced is that a convergence of the Charismatic Movement with more traditional Evangelical faith in recent decades in Taiwan provides a window into the current state of Evangelicalism within Taiwan (a move which has been somewhat documented by Judith C.P. Lin’s 2020 book, “The Charismatic Movement in Taiwan from 1945 to 1995: Clashes, Concord, and Cacophony”), but that a more thorough “Global” (i.e., “contextualized”) expression of Evangelicalism has not quite appeared yet in Taiwan, particularly when it comes to the challenges involved with public life inside as well as just outside of the island. While hints for how Evangelicalism in Taiwan can perhaps move forward with regard to the contemporary contextual task will be put forward, the deeper recognition that the study of “Global Evangelicalism” should be more about phenomenological observation than theological construction will be ultimately advanced. Along such lines, using Taiwan as a salient concrete phenomenological example of “Global Evangelicalism,” a suggested (re-)definition of the word “Evangelicalism” in light of the contemporary situation of Taiwan will also be put forward to demonstrate both the term “Evangelicalism’s” stability and fluidness amidst the contemporary “Global” and “World” situation of Christianity.