Greatest threats to the future of fundamentalism

Double post

[ January 10, 2003, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Scott J ]

 

1) Experential religion- ie. KJVOnlyism, easy believism, pentacostalism, etc.

2) Lost people in the churches- IFB is in danger of becoming a denomination rather than a set of convictions

3) Failure to live practical Christianity- Bible study, prayer, fellowship, evangelism, separation, sanctification, etc.

Contrary to what our forebearers faced 100 years ago, liberalism isn't a very real danger to fundamentalism. I have seen fundamentalists become extra-biblical legalists but I haven't seen a fundamentalist become a liberal.

 

I would argue that many of the things listed here stem from what I think is the greatest danger -- a lack of knowledge concerning historic fundamentalism. Such lack has led to increased tolerance of faulty doctrine in some corners, increased emphasis on separation over non fundamentals, the KJOnly movement claiming fundamentalism, over emphasis on external conformity rather than inner transformation, lack of teaching doctrine while heavy teaching of personal standards (rather than biblical standards), etc. All of these things, IMO, stems from a failure to understand what fundamentalism really was.

 

Two stand out in my mind. The first is KJVOnlyism and the second is legalism. The more these these two infect fundamentalism, the more marginalized the movement will become.

[ January 10, 2003, 07:05 PM: Message edited by: swaimj ]

 

In no particular order:
</font>

1. Anti-intellectualism combined with ignorance and superstition - a dangerous combination.</font>
2. Unbiblical partisanship (e.g. the "Sword" crowd, the pro-Hyles gang, etc.).</font>
3. Emphasis on quantity of supposed converts (e.g. "soulwinning" campaigns and multiple baptisms) rather than quality (discipleship).</font>
4. Emphasis on external "standards" and appearances at the expense of real Biblical knowledge and true, inward holiness.</font>
5. Increased irrelevance due to "separation" for increasingly petty reasons.</font>

 

Wow...Kal-El....I may find I like you better than I thought I did...LOL Your insight into "Hylesology" and surprise that Fundy's have survived it (and may I add...many are still recovering from it and the wounds it left), is one thing that had chased me out of Fundyism. But, I'm baaaaaackkkkkkkk!!!!

AJL

 

I've got a book copyright in 1986:
THE FUNDAMENTALIST PHENOMENON, Second Edition
(Baker Book House, 1986) by Ed Dobson, Ed
Hindson, Jerry Falwell. It has a whole
secion called "Fundamentalism: Its Weaknesses".
This topic has hinted upon most of
what was said in this weakness section.

 

Jerry Falwall spoke out about the weaknesses of fundamentalism? How bizarre is that?

 

Refreshed: "1. Jerry Falwell - sold out to the SBC, Liberty U. has become an ecumenical hotbed."

Unwritten Fundamentalist Baptist principle
Any Fundamental Baptist who succeeds must
have betrayed Fundamentalism.

This unwritten principle, which seems alive
and active is self defeating. One must fail
to prove one is a True Fundamental Baptist?

Refreshed: "1. Jerry Falwell - sold out to the SBC, Liberty U. has become an ecumenical hotbed."

What are the details here?
So far as i know, Jerry Falwell has
not "sold" anything to the SBC.
In fact, the Conservative Baptist
Fellowship (CBF)
is breaking with the SBC because
the SBC has been taken over by the
Fundamentalists??

 

/ed begins to
decipher Kal-Els cryptogram /

Is this a retorical answer that you know
the answer to? Am i supposed to know the answer?
I mean like there is only two pages
of "weaknesses" in a 214 page book.
I mentioned it because that seemed to be
the direction of this topic.
BTW, i talk on the internet with all sorts
of people, not just Fundamental Baptists.
Many non-Fundamental Baptists believe that
Jerry Falwell IS FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST -
not just that Falwell is A fundamental Baptist,
but Falwell is the whole fundamental Baptist
movement personally himself.
I know they are wrong, but they don't know
they are wrong

 

First of all, don't think you can decipher my cryptic message unless you can read and write in Kryptonian. Please see the following link for the alphabet and pronunciation guide:

Click Here

 

Dr. Bob said

and then the thread took a nosedive with an unenlightening discussion of Jerry Falwell. I have not seen, heard, or read Jerry Falwell refer to himself as a fundamentalist in at least 7 years. True, he used to be a fundamentalist. True, he called himself a fundamentalist long after many fundamentalists thought he was no longer one. Today, he consistently and exclusively refers to himself as an "evangelical". Perhaps a discussion of him should be taken to a new thread, if it is necessary at all.

 

Greatest threat to the future of Fundamentalism?

Political Correctness.

Can anyone say "Laodicea?"

 

Amen, Sister SheEagle9/11 -- Preach it!

I discoverd early on the underlying theory
of PC=political orrectness.

If you search for truth, this is good;
if you ever find it, you are immediately
labeled "bigot".

I found the truth is not some feely-warm
thoughts, the truth is not some lofty words,
the truth is a person: Jesus, the Messiah.

 

Falwell is not a fundamentalist and hasn't been for years. At the heart of fundamentalism is a commitment to biblical separation for the purity of doctrine and the church. Falwell, who has done many good things, moved away from that years ago. The same could be said of the SBC. They are fundamental compared to the CBF and the SBC of the last 20-30 years but they are not fundamental in the historic sense, really. They have moved that direction. I for one am glad to see the SBC returning to its roots. Most groups/denominations never recover once they are given to liberalism and theological modernism. The SBC is certainly a welcome anomaly in that regard.

Which all points to my initial post concerning teh greatest danger. When people accuse Falwell or the SBC of being fundamentalist, it is a declaration that they do not know what historic fundamentalism was. Hence the greatest danger is ignorance of history.

[ January 12, 2003, 04:47 PM: Message edited by: Pastor Larry ]

 

Amen, Pastor Larry -- Preach it!

Not that my endorcement is of value,
being Southern Baptist myself

 

Ed Edwards,

Instead of clogging this thread up with a discussion about Falwell, I'm going to start a new thread on it. Feel free to join in.

Jason