Fundamentalism's Responsibility for Today's Problems

Fundamentalism and Today’s Problems

The third quarter of the 19^th century witnessed a perfect storm, the consequences of which continue to plague the 21^st century. That storm included the publication of Darwin’s Origin of the Species, the War Between the States, rising secularism (good or bad depending on your perspective), and biblical scholarship known as “higher criticism.” Conservative American Christianity reacted by consolidating a movement that would be labeled “Fundamentalism,” the concentration of their theological teaching at Princeton University and Seminary (“the Princeton Movement”), and the publication of a series of pamphlets between 1910 and 1915 called The Fundamentals. Without any authorization or denominational approval, those pamphlets demanded that to be a true Christian one must BELIEVE:

1.      Verbal inspiration of the Bible

2.      Literal, inerrant interpretation of that Bible

3.      Biological virgin birth of Jesus

4.      Blood atonement for human sin (What kind of god demands human sacrifice?)

5.      Physical, corporeal resurrection of Jesus

6.      Literal, physical return of Jesus

The intellectual pinnacle of this movement was Blackstone’s Jesus is Coming and the Scofield Reference Bible. With its claim that the world was created in 4004 BCE, this book, more than any other among Fundamentalists, is responsible for the ongoing claims for creationism and intelligent (?) design.

The first half of the 20^th century saw the movement divide between those who had a social conscience and lived the Social Gospel and those premillenarian, even more apocalyptic groups who withdrew from social engagement. Evangelicals engaged in intentional conversion of the world while being slightly less authoritarian and more cooperative with other Christian groups. Fundamentalist seemed to go underground for a time but emerged with a vengeance in the 1970s under the leadership of Jerry Falwell, Pat Roberson, James Dobson, and more recently men like Ralph Reed and Richard Lamb.

Now to the point of my argument. The progeny of Fundamentalism include:

1.      Anti-intellectualism [creationism, intelligent design, denial of biological evolution (a concept from hell in the words of a Georgia Congressman who happens to be a medical doctor!), legitimate rape, efforts to subvert Boards of Education, etc]

2.      Anti-feminism (denial of voting rights until the 20^th century, anti-abortion legislation, refusal to recognize female pastors in many of their churches, etc.)

3.      Continuing pre and postmillenarianism and dispensationalism that has many of them aggressively advocating and acting for the apocalyptic end of time

4.      Unbridled militancy in the world seeking domination of others, the elimination of different religions, especially Islam, irrational support of removal of gun control (Before you get your knickers in a knot, I believe in the Second Amendment).

This progeny and much more is responsible for the chaos, partisanship, lack of statesmanship, and lack of moral clarity in this country.

If you are interested and seeking sound scholarship in this area, I recommend:

Karen Armstrong: The Battle for God

Charles Kimball: When Religion Becomes Evil

Marcus Borg: The Evolution of the Word

James Carroll: Jerusalem, Jerusalem