What do I mean when I say "fundamentalist"?

Several of my friends are very interested in my book and have asked me what I mean when I say I am a recovering fundamentalist. That is such a good question, and I am happy to answer it without giving away too much of what will be in my book.

First Definition

Christian Fundamentalism is a term that came into being in the late 1910's. Sixty four British and American conservative Protestant theologians wrote 94 essays on what they considered the basic "fundamentals" of Christianity between 1910 and 1915. These essays were collected into (originally) 12 volumes entitled "The Fundamentals: A Testimony to the Truth" and published using a $250,000 grant from the Stewart brothers, head of Union Oil. Three million sets of these books were distributed.

The five basics, or "fundamentals" were:

• Inerrancy of Scripture
• Virgin Birth and Diety of Jesus
• The doctrine of substitutionary atonement
• The bodily ressurection of Jesus from the dead
• The authenticity of Jesus' miracles

In a real way, these fundamentals were a modern form of the Christian creed, a new attempt to articulate what Christians believe, like the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds did. 

This term was adopted by many conservatives who felt that mainstream religious denominations and seminaries were accomodating modern criticism of the Bible and abandoning many traditional Christian beliefs, such as the Virgin Birth, the trustworthiness of the Bible, and the reality of Jesus' miracles. 27 of the 94 essays objected to this "higher criticism" and its rejection of the supernatural.

I think a simple redaction of the situation is that many Christians felt uncomfortable with the progress of modern science, in particular the theory of evolution, and its influence on religion. They felt religion is superior to science not the other way around. So, to combat this trend, they took a strong stand against any modern thoughts or objections to Christianity. In addition to evolution, there was new evidence that Moses did not author the first five books of the Bible, but rather it was written by several author's and Moses, if he did do anything at all, was a compiler or editor. Also, the miracles of Jesus were under question since they could not be explained by science. 

I do not have a problem with these "fundamentals" so in that since you could say I remain a fundamentalist. But I do have a problem with the means developed by those who would say they believe in and protect these fundamentals.

Second Definition

"Fundamentalism" as I deal with it, is the means developed by those who try to keep the fundamentals intact and part of Christian tradition. Strangely enough, the three basic pillars or legs of fundamentalism are consistent with all forms of fundamentalism. All religious and secular forms of fundamentalism share these three characteristics:

1. Strict rules and regulations often called "distinctives"
2. Strong authority structures that dominate and control
3. Severe separation from others who disagree

This is the fundamentalism I have found faulty and abandoned, not the fundamentals of Christian faith. I should say here that there needs to be debate and clarification of the five fundamentals because they have been so abused by fundamentalism we no longer really know what they refer to. As terms they need to be abandoned and the truths of Scripture articulated anew. Let me address briefly each of the three pillars of fundamentalism.

1. Strict Rules - "Distinctives"

Fundamentalism has rules piled on top of the fundamentals that for many are just as important. Rules that dictate fashion, hair length on men and women, consumption of alcohol, smoking, musical tastes, activites, entertainment, and associations are meant to help fundamentalists be "distinctive", to stand out, to leave the world and become "holy and separate". Weak attempts to use scripture to defend these rules is a clear indication of their bondage. Galatians 5:1 reminds us to "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." We have been set free to love God and others, and that should be the driving force behind our lives, not rules and regulations. 

Remember what Jesus said when asked what the greatest commandment was? Matthew 22:37-40 gives us his answer "Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Fundamentalists argue that we need to keep his commands. Yes, we do. And what are his commands? "These things I command you, that ye love one another." John 15:17

Some sort of rule keeping is a form of false humility and worship of the self (will) according to Collosians 2:20-23 "Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances (rules and regulations - my clarification), 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh."

2. Authority and Domination

Hierarchical authority structures are at the heart of any form of fundamentalism. This is so prevelant in Christian fundamentalism that there is often a belief that there is an hierarchy in the Godhead when the Bible (and most fundamental doctrinal statements) declare that the members of the Godhead are equals. This type of thinking puts down women and others we don't want to consider as "equal" and reinforces the curse of the fall. Adam and Eve were equals in the Garden of Eden, both called "Adam" by God himself:

"Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." Genesis 5:2

But at the fall, God cursed them and said to the woman:

"...thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee." Genesis 3:16

The word "desire" here is used only one other time in the Bible in almost the exact same phrasing to describe what sin wants to do with Cain in relation to Abel:

"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Genesis 4:7

Sin wants to dominate, overtake, control Cain. The curse on the woman is that she will want to dominate, overtake and control her husband, and he will dominate (rule) over her. It is not unusual then, that as soon as God finishes speaking, the man turns to his wife and names her, just as he did the animals as an act of dominion and control.

Any form of Christianity or headship or leadership or family that fits this pattern of domination is not the promise of equality taught in the New Testament, but a continuation of the curse. Yes, Christ is the head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman. But what does Jesus say about leadership? If you want to be great (a leader) in his kingdom, you must first become the servant of ALL. As a husband Christ came to serve me and save me; he also calls me to be a head just like him to my wife. Not to dominate her, but rather to serve her. If your leadership is not serving, then it is domination.

The New Testament clearly teaches we are co-equals, joint-heirs with Christ and that there is no male or female in Christ. Our traditional forms of church government which are very hierarchical, leads us to conclude that women cannot be "ordained" or be a pastor, not the scriptures themselves. Yes, 1 Corinithians 14:34 says clearly, "Let your women keep silence in the churches; for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are command to be under obedience..." but it also says clearly throughout the chapter that women can and do speak in the church:

Verse 5: "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied..."

Verse 24: "But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all..."

Verse 26: "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."

Verse 31: "For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted."

And then earlier in 1 Corinthians 11:5 Paul says,

"But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven."

What is a woman doing praying, singing and prophesying in church if she is supposed to be silent? Obviously there is another interpretation. Scripture does not contradict itself.

3. Severe Separation

The final leg on the stool of fundamentalism is separation, a kind of manic, severe separation that is downright disturbing. If anyone disagrees, they are to be separated from. No dialogue, no discussions, no sympathy. Like an Amish shunning, those we disagree with are just as bad as those who are horrible, perverted sinners! They are lost. In fact, for many fundamentalists, people and people like me, who have not abandoned the fundamentals, but have instead rejected the rules and regulations, are not real Christians. It is assumed that we were never Christians in the first place.

Everyone else is just wrong. And since "wrong" is contagious, you have to quarantine yourself, separate, in order to maintain and preserve holiness and "purity" of the faith. The problem with this is that it contradicts the fundamentals and the teaching of the Bible.

Trying to model the Old Testament and the Jews attempts to be "holy" modern fundamentalists try to put everyone back into bondage to the "law" only the law is now what they say (as the authority). If you disagree, then out you go! But they teach that none of us could ever be holy enough for God, "there is none righteous, no not one" and that is why Jesus had to die for us. The commands, "Be ye Holy as your Father in heaven is holy" cannot be kept on our own. That is why we need Jesus. If we can't be good enough before we are saved, we can't be good enough after we are saved either. God must "declare" us righteous and cover us in the blood of Jesus.

Jesus taught with both his actions and his word that holiness, not evil, is contagious. Since he lives in each believer we now have the power to change the world simply by coming into contact with it, being salt and light. When Jesus touched a dead person, he did not become unclean. The dead person came to life! When Jesus touched a leper, he did not become unclean. The leper was made whole! Over and over Jesus demonstrated that his holiness was greater than the sin and evil in the world.

He lives in us, his people, and he wants us to go into the world and change it. If we separate, then we limit his ability to work in us. When we are afraid of the prostitutes, and the homosexuals, and the drunkards and the drug addicts thinking that they will corrupt us, then we limit our ability to reach them Didn't Jesus touch them, eat with them, and was condemned by the religious "fundamentalists" (read Pharisee) of his day for doing so? 

This is just a bit of my approach in my book, the story of how I became a fundamentalist and how I found real grace.