## Definition
“Born again” is a Christian term describing a spiritual rebirth — the experience of accepting Jesus Christ as one’s personal savior and undergoing a conversion that transforms one’s life. The phrase comes from the Gospel of John, where Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” In evangelical and Pentecostal Christianity, being “born again” is the central requirement for salvation: it is not enough to be baptized or raised in the church; one must have a personal, conscious conversion experience. The term has become a cultural marker, with “born-again Christian” used to describe anyone who has undergone this conversion, regardless of denomination.
## Why It Matters
The born-again movement reshaped American politics and culture. In the 1970s and 1980s, evangelical Christians — many of whom identified as born again — became a major political force, organizing around issues like abortion, school prayer, and LGBTQ+ rights. The Moral Majority, founded by Jerry Falwell in 1979, mobilized born-again voters for conservative candidates. This “Religious Right” has been a defining feature of American politics for four decades. But the born-again experience is also personal: millions of people describe it as the most important moment of their lives, a transformation that gave them purpose, community, and hope. The term matters because it describes both a theological doctrine and a political identity.
## Example
Famous born-again Christians include: Chuck Colson, a Watergate conspirator who converted in prison and founded Prison Fellowship; Johnny Cash, who had a public conversion and recorded gospel albums; and Alice Cooper, the shock rocker who became a born-again Christian and now runs a charity. The term is also used in a secular, ironic sense: “born-again atheist” describes someone who has discovered atheism with the same zeal as a religious convert. “Born-again virgin” is someone who has decided to abstain from sex after having been sexually active, adopting the identity of virginity as a spiritual choice. The phrase has transcended its religious origins to describe any dramatic conversion or recommitment.
## Internet Angle
The internet has made born-again Christianity both more visible and more contested. On one hand, megachurches stream their services online, and born-again testimonies are shared across platforms as inspiration. On the other hand, exvangelical communities (r/exvangelical on Reddit) share stories of leaving the born-again movement, describing trauma, guilt, and the difficulty of deconstructing a faith-based identity. The term “born again” is also used ironically: “born-again [X]” describes anyone who has newly discovered a passion — “born-again runner,” “born-again vegan.” The internet both preserves the term’s religious meaning and expands it into a general metaphor for transformation.
## Related Terms
– **Evangelical**: The broader Christian movement that born-again Christianity belongs to
– **Conversion**: The experience of changing religions or beliefs
– **Testimony**: The personal story of conversion that born-again Christians often share
– **Religious Right**: The political movement mobilized by born-again voters
– **Exvangelical**: The movement of people who have left the born-again faith
– **Nicodemus**: The biblical figure who first heard the phrase “born again”
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