Ten Things Fundamentalists Forget: Part 2

So what are these things we Fundamentalists forget? They are the actual fundamentals of our faith, disctinct from culture, tradition, and personal conviction. If we kept them at the forefront, we would not be so vulnerable to criticism.

The Gospel: What is the Gospel? It is Jesus Christ, crucified and resurrected. It is the redemption of our souls, the payment for our sin by the Sinless One. The Gospel is not a debate about whether women-wearing-pants, smoking, playing cards, watching TV, or listening to country music are works of the devil. Sorry. Evangelizing in other nations does not mean bringing Americana to them. If you're developing churches in India that look, sound, and feel exactly like deep-South Baptists, chances are you're preaching more culture than Gospel.

The New Testament: I was embarrassed last year when I started reading through the New Testament and realized how little I actually knew. Having been raised memorizing Bible Verses and songs, I would come across a familiar verse and feel like I already knew all that, why read it again? Guess what? There's enough in there to keep us all very busy for a long time, if we can tear ourselves away from how others are failing. Many brands of fundamentalism seem inordinately obsessed with the Old Testament, whether it's following the Law of the OT, trying to bring ancient Hebrew culture and law into our current era, or just a love for woeful morality tales. Types and shadows, folks, types and shadows.

Grace: We can sing hymns about it but if it doesn't exist in our relationships with others, all the lovely hymns are worth nothing.

Redemption: Sometimes sin does need to be confronted. When that's the case, the goal should not be condemnation but redemption and restoration. When God confronts our sin, his purpose is redemption (See #1). In order for redemption to take place, love needs to exist. (See below)

Love: Here's the biggie. I'll let God's word speak first. ¹If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. ²If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails. 1 Cor. 13:1

That's what God says love is. Isn't it clear enough? So why do we have abusive pastors? Abusive husbands? Abusive parents? Love is not overbearing. Love is not power-hungry. Love does not demand. Love does not oppress. Love does not excuse explosive anger by calling it "righteous anger". Love forgives. Love protects. Love does not say "To heck with this, you aren't doing things my way so I'm not going to treat you lovingly anymore."

Transparency: Since holiness and righteous living tend to be heavily emphasized in Fundamentalist circles, there's a temptation to hide imperfections. To keep things in the shadows that should come to light, out of shame or to preserve the ego. People fail. Admit it. Deal with it. Don't hide it or sweep it under the rug. This seems to be a particular problem when it comes to abuse. It is a great shame to the name of Christ if we provide any sort of shadow for abusers to hide themselves in by hushing the pleas of their victims.

Humility: Taking God's Word, adding a generous portion of personal opinion, and extrapolating that into a 200 page book on any given subject does not mean that personal opinion is God's opinion. A 40-point list of rules won't guarantee perfection. Strict adherence to one faddish method or another of marriage, parenting, church building, or business guarantee nothing. Let's be a little more cautious with our "guarantees".

Consistency: Take Ephesians 5:25 and onward. In fundamentalism, the presentation and practice of these verses are heavily skewed. I have heard innumerable sermons and read uncountable books on the responsibilities of women in marriage. Some Evangelicals have recognized this failure and begun speaking up on the responsibilities of men. However, die-hard Fundamentalists don't seem to have picked up on this. I would love to see some sermons dedicated to Ephesians 5:28 and perhaps a little emphasis on the vast number of commands in the New Testament that would simply eliminate any abuse if men actually read them and obeyed them. I don't disagree with a conservative interpretation of marital roles in the Bible. I'll happily defend it in a debate. I'd just like to see a lot more men holding each other accountable for their part, and a lot less whining about women. Quit harping on the Greek roots of the word "submission" and start studying the meaning of words like "sacrificial love" and "cherish". NOW can't hold a candle to a man who knows how to love and cherish his wife.

Responsibility: Inability to accept responsibility seems to be a general problem with humans. But shame on us if we allow it to be a problem among ourselves. There is way too much blame-shifting going on. Too much hiding and sweeping things under the rug. People have been badly hurt because those who enjoy authority in churches and families conveniently forget that they also have a great deal of responsibility. What if we could focus on personal obedience to God rather than trying to get everybody else in line first?

Relationship: Relationship failures are the main catalysts I've seen for family splits, church splits, and angry departures among fundamentalists. These failures happen when the principals listed above are lacking in relationships. An overbearing husband is eventually going to have a wife who's tired of being under someone's heel all the time. Parents who are so rule-bound that all their talk is like clanging cymbals to the ears of their unloved children are going to lose the hearts of those children. An arrogant pastor is headed for trouble.

In spite of the failures I see in myself and in the fundamentalist movement, I remain committed to the inspired nature of the Word of God and the fundamentals of the Christian faith. But I am sick and tired of hearing again and again how abjectly we have failed at the most basic of Christian values. And heartsick at how often these accusations carry truth, either in whole or in part. I sure would like to hear less calling down of fire on the wicked, and more repentant cries for forgiveness at the wickedness of our own hearts. Restoration, if there is to be any, starts with us. Revival, if it will happen, starts in our own hearts.