Fundamentalism
The word “fundamentalist” is often mis-used. Many who are called “fundamentalists” are not fundamentalists; many who are not called fundamentalists actually are fundamentalists. Many who call themselves fundamentalists are not fundamentalists, and many who do not call themselves fundamentalists actually are fundamentalists. Confused?
The problem is that the word is often not used according to its definition.
Let's make it simple...
Who is NOT a fundamentalist? Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Muslims, White Supremicists, the KKK, Nazis, etc...
Who IS a fundamentalist? the Pope, Rev. Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, and most ordinary Christians around the world.
A fundamentalist is anyone who agree to the five points of fundamentalism (see below).
The word has become mis-understood because it is often used to refer to “ultra-fundamentalists” or “neo-fundamentalists” or “conservative evangelicals” (about whom this page is written). The word was defined quite clearly at a convention in 1895 by a group of scholars; the details of definitions, however, are usually ignored by the popular press.
Five Points of Fundamentalism Formulated by the 1895 Niagra Bible Conference as necessary standards of belief:
- 1. Inerrancy of Scripture
- 2. Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ
- 3. Substitutionary theory of the atonement
- 4. Physical resurrection of Christ
- 5. Christ's imminent bodily return to earth
KJV-only some conservative fundamentalists (as opposed to ordinary fundamentalists) adhere to the belief that the only correct translation of the Bible into English is “authorized” or “King James” translation. Although this bizarre belief can generally be dismissed, it does raise several interesting issues, chiefly text-critical ones arising from various attempts to produce a “true” original of the Greek text of the New Testament. To be sure, one must carefully consider the merit of a translation before one relies on it.
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