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Originally, "fundamentalism" meant a return to the basic beliefs of Christian faith.
It originally meant simply believing that the Bible was/is the inspired Word of God, that Jesus was born of a virgin and was God in human flesh, that Jesus died on the cross in the place of each person who would ever live as the only acceptable atonement for sin, that Jesus rose again from the dead, and that He will return again.
Fundamentalist belief was a reaction to extreme theological liberalism that denied those very truths.
Somewhere along the way, though, fundamentalism changed. Rather than remaining simply a movement for the preservation of the most important salvific theological truths in Christianity, it became inexorably linked in many forms with legalistic beliefs and practices, angry preachers, almost anti-intellectual followers, and condemnation of the lost for simply acting as lost persons act.
Politics then entered the picture. While some of the strictest of these fundamentalists avoided political involvement, many of us entered it in droves as it spoke to our need to "change society."
A non-Christian philosopher once stated something to the effect of "Be careful of what you choose to fight, you may become it."
Sadly, this is where we find ourselves as "fundamentalists" today. We are split into two camps.
The first is the strict legalists such as Fundamental Baptists (known as the IFB churches), the Pentecostal Faith/Holiness groups, and the followers of Bill Gothard. These are sadly persons who have been relegated to the fringe because of the usual "majoring on the minors" in such groups. For example, some denounce even Christian music, state that everyone outside of their brand of the Christian faith is either not walking with God or is even not a Christian, or practice such strict legalistic behavior that they repel anyone but their own followers.
The second are the less strict of us, who are mostly nondenominational, other Baptist, or Assemblies of God affiliated Pentecostals. The problem with us is that there is much crossover with the first group (leading to even the breakup of families when someone decides to, say, leave their church and even their family to follow the teachings of some small sect that shuns almost everything that exists)
Unfortunately, we share the very same tendencies to seek out absolute authorities on issues and obey what is said as long as the "authority" saying it is good enough and says that it is from the Bible. We say "if John Hagee/Jerry Falwell/George W. Bush/Henry Morris/insert your leader or organization of choice here said it, it must be true." There is an encouragement of this very mindset in the teaching that unity must be made at the expense of truth and individuality.
Most sadly, we have made the same exact error that we have reviled the "liberals" for: we have become politicized. Some of us even just vote the entire Republican slate and support Republicans no matter what they do, just as the liberals do for Democrats.
I do not want to "slam" any group of believers or anyone else. I simply want to suggest some reforms that would really help us reach the lost and concentrate on what is really important.
It originally meant simply believing that the Bible was/is the inspired Word of God, that Jesus was born of a virgin and was God in human flesh, that Jesus died on the cross in the place of each person who would ever live as the only acceptable atonement for sin, that Jesus rose again from the dead, and that He will return again.
Fundamentalist belief was a reaction to extreme theological liberalism that denied those very truths.
Somewhere along the way, though, fundamentalism changed. Rather than remaining simply a movement for the preservation of the most important salvific theological truths in Christianity, it became inexorably linked in many forms with legalistic beliefs and practices, angry preachers, almost anti-intellectual followers, and condemnation of the lost for simply acting as lost persons act.
Politics then entered the picture. While some of the strictest of these fundamentalists avoided political involvement, many of us entered it in droves as it spoke to our need to "change society."
A non-Christian philosopher once stated something to the effect of "Be careful of what you choose to fight, you may become it."
Sadly, this is where we find ourselves as "fundamentalists" today. We are split into two camps.
The first is the strict legalists such as Fundamental Baptists (known as the IFB churches), the Pentecostal Faith/Holiness groups, and the followers of Bill Gothard. These are sadly persons who have been relegated to the fringe because of the usual "majoring on the minors" in such groups. For example, some denounce even Christian music, state that everyone outside of their brand of the Christian faith is either not walking with God or is even not a Christian, or practice such strict legalistic behavior that they repel anyone but their own followers.
The second are the less strict of us, who are mostly nondenominational, other Baptist, or Assemblies of God affiliated Pentecostals. The problem with us is that there is much crossover with the first group (leading to even the breakup of families when someone decides to, say, leave their church and even their family to follow the teachings of some small sect that shuns almost everything that exists)
Unfortunately, we share the very same tendencies to seek out absolute authorities on issues and obey what is said as long as the "authority" saying it is good enough and says that it is from the Bible. We say "if John Hagee/Jerry Falwell/George W. Bush/Henry Morris/insert your leader or organization of choice here said it, it must be true." There is an encouragement of this very mindset in the teaching that unity must be made at the expense of truth and individuality.
Most sadly, we have made the same exact error that we have reviled the "liberals" for: we have become politicized. Some of us even just vote the entire Republican slate and support Republicans no matter what they do, just as the liberals do for Democrats.
I do not want to "slam" any group of believers or anyone else. I simply want to suggest some reforms that would really help us reach the lost and concentrate on what is really important.
You've made some interesting points, and they're better suited for discussion here than in devotionals.
