Conservative Christianity is a sub-division of the Christian community that adhere to what many consider to be conservative religious values of the Christian faith. There are a variety of threads including the Evangelical Movement, the Holiness movement, the Pentecostal Movement, the Fundamentalist Movement, the Charismatic Movement and the Confessing Movement. There is also some influence from Mennonites. Each has its distinctives, but there is considerable cross pollination.

Introduction

Conservative Christianity is often characterized by the following features:

• A belief in the authority of the Bible and a belief that it is an incontrovertible source of God's revelation to humankind. Bible prophecy and Bible inerrancy are typically affirmed. These often
  
  
  
  includes a willingness to believe that the Bible is to be believed over science or any other source. . In short, some conservative Christians stress the provisional nature of science rather than any current science community consensus. Biblical creationist interpretations of scientific data regarding origins are sometimes adhered to.
• The resurrection of Christ is seen as a historical event. A central focus on Christ's redeeming work on the cross as the means for salvation and the forgiveness of sins.
• Encouragement of evangelism - the act of sharing one's beliefs in salvation through Jesus Christ with others - through both organized missionary work and personal evangelism.
• Traditional views on a literal heaven and hell.
• A high level of involvement in charitable, medical, educational, and relief work, such as adoption agencies, crisis pregnancy centers, food banks, medical clinics, and schools at all levels. For example, the Rev. Billy Graham and his
  
  
  
  son Franklin working together, with the former emphasizing evangelism while the latter does disaster relief. In many areas of The Third World the only medical care available is through mission clinics, mostly run by evangelical Mennonite or fundamentalist ministries.

Conservative Protestantism

Scholars, theologians, and writers

Contemporary Conservative Protestant scholars and theologians include: Norman Geisler, FF Bruce, Gary Habermas, N.T. Wright, Kenneth Kitchen, Bruce Metzger, R. C. Sproul, Edwin M. Yamauchi, Merrill Unger, John Warwick Montgomery, Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, and Bryant G. Wood.

Popular conservative Protestant writers and conservative Christian apologetist include:

• Josh McDowell
• C.S. Lewis
• Lee Strobel
• Ravi Zacharias

Earlier Conservative Protestant scholars/theologians include:

• Robert Pearsall Smith and Hannah Whitall Smith, leaders in the Holiness movement
• Henry Venn (1725 - 1797) - founder of the small, but highly influential Clapham Sect in Britain. His grandson, also named Henry Venn (1796 - 1873), pioneered the basic principles of indigenous church mission theory.
• Oswald T. Allis (1856-1930)
• William Henry Green (1825 - 1900)
• James Orr (1844 - 1913)
• C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887)
• Robert Dick Wilson (1856–1930)
• William Mitchell Ramsay (1851-1939) Archaeologist

Conservative Roman Catholicism

Opus Dei

Main article: Opus Dei

One example of conservative Roman Catholicism is Opus Dei, the name is (Latin for "Work of God"), it is comprised of a prelate, secular priests, and lay people, whose aim is "to contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church" by spreading the message that everyone is called to become a saint and an apostle. It "encourages Christians of all social classes to live consistently with their faith in the middle of the ordinary circumstances of their lives."

See also

• Christian right
• Christian left
• Separation of Church and State
• Christian Fundamentalism
• Dispensationalism
• Covenant theology
• Politics
• Conservativism
• Summary of Christian eschatological differences