Tag: fundamentalism

My guide to become a recovering fundamentalist: Part 2

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“Someone asked me if I was a fundamentalist. I don’t know what to say.” ~Friend
“I resolve to make fun of fundamentalists for fundamental reasons.” ~Driscoll

Mr. Strawman, you’re dismissed…
In Part 1 I said that ‘fundamentalism’ is a bit of a strawman. It’s easy to couch a group of people under one term, then make that term dark a derogatory. Metaphorically speaking, we light the term on fire. Again, bash fundamentalists and you’ll get accolades. Here’s the problem with that. It’s not right, not gracious and I’d say not biblical. It’s time we stop with the strawman battles. Yes, we all do this.

The battle over words…
I give no loyalty to words, and few words I defend. I don’t defend the word baptist nor fundamentalism. I take seriously what Paul tells Timothy about false teaching that “has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil, suspicious, etc.” (1 Timothy 6:4) Attacking fundamentalism as a blanket category is much about attacking words. A key to being a recovering fundamentalist is to let go of the battle for words. Need a blueprint for this? Read 2 Timothy 2:22-26!

Civilian casualties…
In war people cringe at civilian deaths. Attacking broad categories is analogous. Bringing everyone under a broad category and then bashing that category, we create disdain for innocent people. People who are good, godly, and pursuing Christ with a loving and pure conscience. When we react out of emotion rather than act out of grace, we do what we claim ‘fundamentalists’ do. We become be the Holy Spirit. Yes, I’m saying many anti-‘fundamentalists’ act like fundamentalists.

It’s the heart…
Focus on the key heart issues. Like it or not, there are ‘fundamentalists’ who we can learn from, respect, emulate and even admire. Every person struggles with sin. It’s a matter of what sin a person struggles with. Let’s focus on the heart issues of arrogance, legalism, fear of man, “majoring on minors,” and bitterness. You and I struggle with these issues too! If you can’t stomach that, remember we’re all one church, and Jesus died for “their” sins as well as yours and mine.

The bottom line:
There is a key choice to become a recovering fundamentalist: Will I focus on bashing a category or on helping heal key heart issues. It’s easy to bash a categorical word because there isn’t a face attach to it, only negative emotions. Too many people have categorically rejected fundamentalists and treated such with putrid disdain. While for some it’s understandable, that doesn’t make it right. “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” (1 Timothy 1:5 ESV) To rephrase our choice: Will I choose bitterness or love?

My guide to become a recovering fundamentalist: Part 1

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“Hi, I’m Ty, and I’m a recovering fundamentalist.” The men in the room laughed, and the lead pastor stated humorously, “No, its true, he is a recovering fundamentalist.” I grew up in what I’d call a community church, but in college and through most of my ministry was a part of fundamentalist circles. There is a lot of un-health in fundamentalism, and this is the first in a series of posts.

What is a recovering fundamentalist
A recovering fundamentalist is a person who was/is part of a fundamentalism and wants to embrace the Gospel and chuck legalism. To use an old cliché, it’s to rescue the baby from the putrid bath water. Being a recovering fundamentalist means getting back to Scripture as guide, the Gospel as central and grace the a mandate. It’s a call to repent.

What it is not
If you want accolades in Christianity, just bash fundamentalism. Fundamentalism is a bit of a strawman (just like the word religion is). This isn’t a “Let’s bash fundamentalism” tirade. I’ve seen too much of that. It’s understandable that some do that, fundamentalism has casualties in its wake. Reacting can lead to just more problems and not health. Being a recovering fundamentalist is about acting, not reacting. It’s about healing and repenting, not another tirade.

Act don’t react
Act don’t react is a proverb I often go by. A pattern I’ve observed in human history, especially church history, is we react to a previous movement. Reactionary movements are inherently unstable and lead to error in a different way. Fundamentalism in large part was a reactionary movement. It centered on key “fundamentals” to the faith. This can be known as “historical fundamentalism.” What we have today is “hysterical fundamentalism.” Reactionary movements have a hard time discerning when the fight is over.

Patton
In the movie Patton a German officer is tasked with being an expert on General Patton. Germany lost and the officers are burning everything. The officer makes this statement as he lights General Patton’s picture, “The lack of war will be his end.” This plays out in the rest of the film… Historical fundamentalism won the day. Most of evangelicalism holds to the fundamentals of the faith. There will always be those who don’t, but essentially the battle was won. The lack of the fight lead to being hysterical.

Hysterical
Hysterical fundamentalism has two idols: 1) Separation and 2) Theological “correctness.” I say idols because the focus is on separation over mission under the guise of “purity”. I put correctness in quotes because the focus is on a particular articulation of theology, often lacking humility. As the doctrinal battle was essentially one, methodology took the banner. Given the protective and isolationist nature, there became uniformity of doctrine, but the challenge of one’s doctrine softened. So, a hysterical fundamentalist has to look, act and talk a certain way. This allowed legalism to take root.

The bottom line:
Being a recovering fundamentalist is repenting. It’s a return to the Gospel being central and the Bible as our guide. It isn’t about attacking fundamentalism, but it is recognizing a difference between historical (a focus on the Bible and the Gospel) and hysterical (focus on separation and a particular methodology) fundamentalism. In this call to repent the win is to live God’s instruction to Joshua: “do not turn from [Scripture] to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go.”