Page 267 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

FUNDAMENTALISM

to “the five fundamentals.” In fact, Harold Ockenga, one endeavors to preach it to every creature. 6. Exposes and
of the fathers of New Evangelicalism, said that there at separates from all ecclesiastical denial of that Faith,
least several dozen fundamentals! compromise with error, and apostasy from the Truth. 7.
It was not a stand for “the five fundamentals” that Earnestly contends for the Faith once delivered.
New Evangelicals protested. The keynote of New The Congress summarized its definition in this way:
Evangelicalism was the repudiation of the separatism “Fundamentalism is militant orthodoxy set on fire with
and other militant aspects of old-line Fundamentalism, soulwinning zeal.”
which proves that Fundamentalism was characterized Those who deny the militancy and separation of
by these very things. historic Fundamentalism are trying to rewrite history.
In his history of Fuller Theological Seminary, Instead of admitting that they have repudiated biblical
Reforming Fundamentalism, historian George M. Fundamentalism and have adopted a New Evangelical
Marsden makes it plain that Fuller’s early leaders were stance, these revisionists are trying to redefine
consciously rejecting the negative aspects of old-line Fundamentalism to fit their backslidden condition.
Fundamentalism. We close with the words of G. Archer Weniger, who
It is clear to honest historians that fifty years showed the fallacy of the view that Fundamentalism is
Fundamentalism ago was characterized by MILITANCY merely a concern for “the five fundamentals”--
and SEPARATION, and it was this fact that produced the “The five fundamentals have only to do with the
New Evangelical reaction against Fundamentalism. Presbyterian aspect of the struggle with modernism. ...
Third, that historic Fundamentalism was more than The bulk of Fundamentalism, especially the Baptists of
the affirmation of “the five fundamentals” is acknowledged every stripe who composed the majority by far, never
by historic fundamentalist organizations and publications. accepted the five fundamentals alone. The World’s
Christian Fundamentals Association, founded in 1919,
Consider The Fundamentalist, published by J. Frank had at least a dozen main doctrines highlighted. The
Norris, an influential Baptist leader of Texas. same was true of the Fundamental Baptist Fellowship,
Independent Baptist historian George Dollar describes which originated in 1920. A true Fundamentalist
Norris’s paper in this way: would under no circumstances restrict his doctrinal
“The Fundamentalist alarmed and alerted ... Reading position to five fundamentals. Even Dr. Carl F.H. Henry,
the 1920-1930 back issues of The Fundamentalist, one a New Evangelical theologian, listed at least several
can almost see the smoke and hear the battle cries of dozen doctrines essential to the Faith. The only
those times” (Dollar, The Fight for Fundamentalism, advantage of reducing the Faith down to five is to
published by the author, 1983, p. 3). make possible a wider inclusion of religionists, who
Norris’s paper is representative of that entire might be way off in heresy on other specific doctrines.
It is much easier to have large numbers of adherents
generation of Fundamentalism in that it was noted for with the lowest common denominator in doctrine” (G.
its bold militancy for the truth. Archer Weniger, quoted in Calvary Contender, April 15,
Consider the following definition of Fundamentalism 1994).
that was given by the World Congress of Let me also emphasize my own conviction that old-
Fundamentalists, meeting in 1976 in Usher Hall, line Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism at their best
Edinburgh, Scotland. Note particularly the last two were biblically deficient. I am a Fundamentalist as far as
points: biblical dogmatism and militancy for the truth and
A Fundamentalist is a born-again believer in the Lord separation from error go, but the objective of my
Jesus Christ who-- Christian life and ministry is not to be a good
1. Maintains an immovable allegiance to the Fundamentalist but it is to be faithful to God’s Word in
inerrant, infallible, and verbally inspired Bible. 2. all matters. Following are two weaknesses that I have
Believes that whatever the Bible says is so. 3. Judges all observed in Fundamentalism as a movement:
things by the Bible and is judged only by the Bible. 4. The first weakness is the transdenominational
Affirms the foundational truths of the historic Christian character that has often characterized Fundamentalism.
Faith: The doctrine of the Trinity; the incarnation, virgin I do not accept the philosophy that limits the basis of
birth, substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection fellowship to a narrow list of “cardinal” doctrines. While
and glorious ascension, and Second Coming of the Lord the Bible does indicate that some doctrines are more
Jesus Christ; the new birth through regeneration by the important than others, all teaching of the Bible is
Holy Spirit; the resurrection of the saints to life eternal; important and is to be taken seriously. Timothy was
the resurrection of the ungodly to final judgment and instructed not to allow any other doctrine than that
eternal death; the fellowship of the saints, who are the which Paul had delivered to him (1 Ti. 1:3; 6:13, 20; 2
body of Christ. 5. Practices fidelity to that Faith and Ti. 2:2). Paul was concerned with the “whole counsel of

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