What is the difference between Conservative and Fundamentalist?

Paul McGraw · Aug 4, 2019

I always think of myself as a Bible-believing Christian. I am new to this forum and I see that here there is a difference between being a Conservative Christian and a Fundamentalist Christian. According to this forum, what is the difference? I have read the statement of faith of each, but they seem identical.

I am going to post the same question on the fundamentalist forum and see what the people there think is the difference. If you really know the answer, please share with me.

Willie T · Aug 4, 2019

The difference? Maybe to find God outside the pages of a book?

Paul McGraw · Aug 4, 2019

Willie T said:
The difference? Maybe to find God outside the pages of a book?

Do you consider yourself a Conservative Christian, a Fundamentalist Christian, or something else? It sounds like you are something else.

Willie T · Aug 4, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
Do you consider yourself a Conservative Christian, a Fundamentalist Christian, or something else? It sounds like you are something else.

I am probably more conservative than most people, but perhaps not as "traditional" as many.

Paul McGraw · Aug 4, 2019

Willie T said:
I am probably more conservative than most people, but perhaps not as "traditional" as many.

If you would like to continue to converse, perhaps we can limit it to the Fundamentalist forum. But so far, I do not see that you are answering the question.

Willie T · Aug 4, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
If you would like to continue to converse, perhaps we can limit it to the Fundamentalist forum. But so far, I do not see that you are answering the question.

Well, show me "Fundamentalist" or "Conservative" written in the Bible somewhere (perhaps with a description of what God thinks each of those is) and then maybe we will be talking about something God cares about, one way or another. Otherwise, aren't we just playing "religious" games with manmade labels?

Willie T · Aug 4, 2019

BTW, I have a nice little article on "isms" I could send you.

Paul McGraw · Aug 4, 2019

Willie T said:
BTW, I have a nice little article on "isms" I could send you.

You seem to take issue with this forum having special sections for what they call "faith groups". It would be wonderful if all Christians could be in the same church and believe the same things, and one day, if God permits me to enter His heaven, all will be made clear to me. But for now, I can see a benefit in having these separate groups in this forum.

Willie T · Aug 4, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
You seem to take issue with this forum having special sections for what they call "faith groups". It would be wonderful if all Christians could be in the same church and believe the same things, and one day, if God permits me to enter His heaven, all will be made clear to me. But for now, I can see a benefit in having these separate groups in this forum.

What was it God was saying about "there was now no Greek, no free, no slave, etc."? I am probably wrong, but I take that as meaning any divisions we create and defend are a bit contradictory to what He intended.

Paul McGraw · Aug 4, 2019

Willie T said:
What was it God was saying about "there was now no Greek, no free, no slave, etc."? I am probably wrong, but I take that as meaning any divisions we create and defend are a bit contradictory to what He intended.

I did not create this forum, nor did I devise the plan for the various sections, so complaining to me will do you no good.

It sounds like you also have a problem with the division between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic, as well as the Protestant Reformation.

I really have nothing further to add about this. I was just hoping my question would be answered by someone who actually shared fundamentalist or conservative beliefs.

1watchman · Aug 5, 2019

Would it be acceptable to you, friend, if one said that BIBLE-ONLY is what the Holy Bible teaches, not conservative or fundamental? I much support the site: Biblecounsel.net which explains what God intends for His testimony in the world. It does not support ideas and innovations by men. See what you think of it, and one can ask questions there. Look up always for God's mind.

Paul McGraw · Aug 5, 2019

1watchman said:
Would it be acceptable to you, friend, if one said that BIBLE-ONLY is what the Holy Bible teaches, not conservative or fundamental? I much support the site: Biblecounsel.net which explains what God intends for His testimony in the world. It does not support ideas and innovations by men. See what you think of it, and one can ask questions there. Look up always for God's mind.

You also seem to take issue with this forum having special sections for what they call "faith groups". Being new to this forum, I have no interest in campaigning to eliminate these sub-forums. I can see the value in providing a means for people of like understanding to converse.

Would you be opposed to a church softball team? It would be an idea and an innovation by men. What about a church choir? What about using an organ in church. These are all ideas and innovations by men. What about a men's Bible study group? Or a women's Bible study group? Ideas and innovations by men.

Is your real purpose to destroy this forum entirely? Or just to drive away Bible-centered Christians such as myself?

1watchman · Aug 5, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
You also seem to take issue with this forum having special sections for what they call "faith groups". Being new to this forum, I have no interest in campaigning to eliminate these sub-forums. I can see the value in providing a means for people of like understanding to converse.

Would you be opposed to a church softball team? It would be an idea and an innovation by men. What about a church choir? What about using an organ in church. These are all ideas and innovations by men. What about a men's Bible study group? Or a women's Bible study group? Ideas and innovations by men.

Is your real purpose to destroy this forum entirely? Or just to drive away Bible-centered Christians such as myself?

It certainly is not an attempt to "destroy" anything, but acquaint serious seekers after the mind and ways of God to understand that Bible-only is not the same as various sectarian Christian groups, with various innovations and religious ideas contrary to the Word of God ---maybe conservative or fundamental. The fellowship I am with worldwide have good group activities, summer camps, and always in view of what is shown approvable by Holy Scripture. I have learned over many years of Bible study what the Church should be as Holy Scripture shows; but "to each his own" as the saying goes. So, go in peace, friend, if you are not interested in what I shared.

Albion · Aug 5, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
I always think of myself as a Bible-believing Christian. I am new to this forum and I see that here there is a difference between being a Conservative Christian and a Fundamentalist Christian. According to this forum, what is the difference? I have read the statement of faith of each, but they seem identical.

I am going to post the same question on the fundamentalist forum and see what the people there think is the difference. If you really know the answer, please share with me.

According to the 'Statements of Purpose' for each of these...they are not identical.

The main difference is that while both are traditionalist in belief, the Fundamentalist forum is for Protestants holding to the usual Protestant belief in Scripture Alone, whereas the other forum admits of Catholic traditionalists who believe that doctrine is determined by Scripture but also what is called Sacred Tradition.

There are other differences, but that is the main one--and a very important one--so far as the forums on CF are concerned.

Paul McGraw · Aug 6, 2019

Albion said:
According to the 'Statements of Purpose' for each of these...they are not identical.

The main difference is that while both are traditionalist in belief, the Fundamentalist forum is for Protestants holding to the usual Protestant belief in Scripture Alone, whereas the other forum admits of Catholic traditionalists who believe that doctrine is determined by Scripture but also what is called Sacred Tradition.

There are other differences, but that is the main one--and a very important one--so far as the forums on CF are concerned.

Thank you @Albion for answering the actual question asked. I now understand the difference in the two. So I suppose I should be in the Fundamentalist forum since I am not a Catholic.

Albion · Aug 6, 2019

Paul McGraw said:
Thank you @Albion for answering the actual question asked. I now understand the difference in the two. So I suppose I should be in the Fundamentalist forum since I am not a Catholic.

Hi, Paul. Well, I am not sure of that. While the Conservative Christianity forum was made so that it would not exclude Catholics who are generally traditionalist but not 'Bible Only,' it isn't the case that it does exclude conservative Protestants who are strictly Bible Only/Sola Scriptura.

You certainly appear to be at home in this forum although you might also be a Fundamentalist and post on that forum, too.

mothcorrupteth · Aug 29, 2019

I would like to second the distinction that Albion outlined. As an Eastern Orthodox, I am unmistakably a conservative Christian, both in the political and in the theological sense. Politically, I am something of a cross between Pat Buchanan and Ron Paul; I believe the chief end of government is to defend the traditional cultural values of the people it governs, and that this is generally best accomplished by staying out of people's lives. Theologically, I advocate for the preservation of traditional Christian values and doctrines--heterosexual marriage, pro-life, the literal personhood and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the virgin birth.

But I am emphatically not a Fundamentalist. Fundamentalism is a particular historical movement within Protestantism that was launched as a conscious opposition to theological liberalism, and it has a concrete set of tenets that one holds to. One Fundamental is justification by faith alone; I don't hold to that. Another Fundamental is the assumption that all biblical accounts are literal--I don't believe, but I am open to the possibility, that there was no historical Job; I definitely believe that most prophecy is metaphorical; and I am at least Old-Earth creationist but lean more heavily toward theistic evolution (many Orthodox would disagree with me about that last one). Another is substitutionary atonement; as an Orthodox, I believe in something closer to the Christus victor or recapitulation model of salvation. Fundamentalism also tends to want to defend the faith through biblical archaeology and creation science; while I'm not opposed to those things, I'm not interested so much in their application to apologetics.

There are qualitative political implications, as well. I'm much, much more open to digesting the ideas of someone like Milo Yiannopoulis or Sargon of Akkad, despite the fact that the first is openly gay and the second is openly atheist, than someone who is both conservative and Fundamentalist is likely to be.

And one does not have to be Catholic or Orthodox in order to be "conservative, but not Fundamentalist." There are many Calvinists and Lutherans and Anglicans who fit that description. However, it is fair to say that we all tend to lean high church as opposed to low church.

A very good speech that touches on the distinction is Clark Carlton's "Our Altars and Firesides". Clark himself is an Orthodox who was formerly an Evangelical.

Albion · Aug 29, 2019

I like what you wrote, "Mothcorrupteth," but I have to disagree with some of the specifics that were outlined. Here is the CF statement about Fundamentalism (which I believe accords pretty well with all the others that have been penned by Fundamentalists over the past century or so)--

A Fundamentalist Christian is a born again believer in Lord Jesus Christ who:

Maintains an immovable allegiance to the inerrant, infallible, and verbally Inspired Bible;
Believes whatever the Bible says is so;
Judges all things by the Bible, and is judged only by the Bible, aka - "Sola Scriptura";
Affirms the foundational truths of the historic Christian Faith:
a. The doctrine of the Trinity
b. The incarnation, virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven, and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
c. The new birth through regeneration of the Holy Spirit
d. The resurrection of saints to life eternal
e. The resurrection of the ungodly to final judgment and eternal death
f. The fellowship of the saints, who are the body of Christ;
Practices fidelity to that faith, and endeavors to preach it to every creature;
Exposes and separates from all ecclesiastical denial of that Faith, compromise with error, and apostasy from the Truth

mothcorrupteth · Aug 29, 2019

Albion said:
I like what you wrote, "Mothcorrupteth," but I have to disagree with some of the specifics that were outlined. Here is the CF statement about Fundamentalism (which I believe accords pretty well with all the others that have been penned by Fundamentalists over the past century or so)--

A Fundamentalist Christian is a born again believer in Lord Jesus Christ who:

Maintains an immovable allegiance to the inerrant, infallible, and verbally Inspired Bible;

Believes whatever the Bible says is so;

Judges all things by the Bible, and is judged only by the Bible, aka - "Sola Scriptura";

Affirms the foundational truths of the historic Christian Faith:
a. The doctrine of the Trinity
b. The incarnation, virgin birth, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, ascension into Heaven, and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ
c. The new birth through regeneration of the Holy Spirit
d. The resurrection of saints to life eternal
e. The resurrection of the ungodly to final judgment and eternal death
f. The fellowship of the saints, who are the body of Christ;

Practices fidelity to that faith, and endeavors to preach it to every creature;

Exposes and separates from all ecclesiastical denial of that Faith, compromise with error, and apostasy from the Truth

Well, I am more commenting on the general difference between conservative and Fundamentalist, rather than the differences specifically identified by the CF statements. Though you are, of course, right that those are more relevant to the OP question, I feel that it is important to communicate that the CF statements are reflective of that more general difference. I am also basing my examples on the infamous Fundamentals series of essays.

Albion · Aug 29, 2019

mothcorrupteth said:
Well, I am more commenting on the general difference between conservative and Fundamentalist, rather than the differences specifically identified by the CF statements. Though you are, of course, right that those are more relevant to the OP question, I feel that it is important to communicate that the CF statements are reflective of that more general difference. I am also basing my examples on the infamous Fundamentals series of essays.

?? I must be missing something because what I copied for us here is essentially what all the authoritative Fundamentalist statements have said in outlining the meaning of the movement.

Note, for example, that there is no mention of a literal interpretation of Scripture, evolution, and other doctrinal issues that you identified in your post.

What is the difference between Conservative and Fundamentalist?

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