All posts tagged fundamentalism

Lesson 11: The Battle for God

by Pastor Fritz Foltz on March 21, 2012 in Practical Theology with 2 Comments

The Battle for GodI immediately found myself in the middle of conflict as I began writing about the third practical reason people go to Church, the search for a healthy lifestyle. Traditionalists hammer this new spirituality with its wellness theme as promoting “what I want rather than what God wills.” They advocate returning to supposedly eternal laws that represent God’s Word in all stages of history.

That led me to review Karen Armstrong’s characterization of the fundamentalist movement sweeping all world religions in her 2000 book, The Battle for God. I found what could be a frightening synopsis of the present presidential campaign. So let’s take time out to examine my summary of her list.

Characteristics of the fundamentalist movement in world religions include:
1) a radical individualism in which people are expected to relate one-on-one with God with no need for religious community or sacraments. In Christianity, this is often defined as making a personal decision for Christ.

2) basing all on accepting essential doctrine rather than living in an appropriate relationship with the divine. Belief becomes an intellectual decision rather than a trusting attitude. True believers must accept specific doctrines.

3) a Holy Land. It is Saudi Arabia for Bin Laden, Israel for Jews and some Christians, America as Kingdom of God for right wing Christians. The last speak of God placing a protective curtain over the USA which will be raised if we do not live by his laws.

4) anti-woman rhetoric, insisting that women must be subservient to men. We see this in the Taliban, Orthodox Judaism, and fundamentalist Christian churches.

5) concentration on holy wars. Islam fundamentalists call for Jihad which can involve suicide bombings and terrorism; political wars are labeled crusades; killing of abortion doctors are justified as saving innocent babies, etc. Right wing Christians often refer to Israel’s invasion of Canaan under Moses and Joshua.

6) establishment of a religious political government. Separation of church and state is rejected.

7) dependence on charismatic leaders rather than democracy. This occurs in everything from Christian mega-churches to Islamic governments. The idea is that God speaks directly to certain chosen people, and this often has nothing to do with their moral life.

8 ) failure to appreciate religious language. The sacred texts are used as scientific and economic textbooks. Islam religious law is applied to political government, Genesis 1 and 2 become explanation of how the world was literally created.

9) a drive for purity leads to expelling “nonbelievers” from official positions. Fundamentalists plot to take over denominations, seminaries, mosques, temples, etc.

The movement seems to be a reaction against modern life and especially science. It calls for a return to a past that never was in order to find certainty in an uncertain world.

I think Armstrong captures “The Battle for God” taking place around us. We are going to see it play out as we examine the new spirituality that tries to bring the body and spirit back in touch with the natural rhythms of life.

Lesson 35: How Do We Determine God’s Word – Creed

by Scott Noon on October 29, 2011 in Doctrine with No comments

With all the focus on the Bible (canon) we often pass over how the creeds go even further in determining what is and what is not the Word of God. In some ways the canon is like the Constitution and the creeds like the Bill of Rights. The early Church kept adding phrases to the Apostles’ Creed to resolve conflicts that developed. The Nicene and Athanasian Creeds were written in the fourth century to settle disputes over major doctrines.

The creeds also establish priorities for the way we read the canon. For instance, they adopt a Trinitarian understanding of God that is not completely explicit in the canon. They also emphasize the New over the Old Testament and the Gospel over the letters. Even more they make clear we are to understand the Gospels proclaim Jesus is God whose critical actions are his Passion and Resurrection rather than his miracles and teachings.

At the same time, I do not think the creeds demand complete agreement on every last item. Like the canon and Lord’s Prayer they are primarily tools for worship that express the views and practices around which the community can comfortably gather. I always am uneasy about people who feel they can not be baptized or share the Communion meal, because they do not rigidly believe certain rigid interpretations of every last phrase in the creeds.

In fact, this is one of the most common problems in writing modern creeds. Groups use them to champion their understanding of a doctrine as if it is the one and only way to be a Christian. For instance, we sometimes forget that American Fundamentalism is a modern creed based on the 12 volumes sent to every U.S. religious leader in 1909 by two wealthy oilmen, Lyman and Milton Stewart. This creed insists Christians must not only believe 1) that the Bible is inspired by God, but also that every last word is inerrant, 2) that Jesus is divine but also that the essential proof of this is his virginal biological birth, 3) that Jesus died for our sins but also that this is must be explained by the substitution atonement theory that claims God demanded someone had to be punished for humanity’s sin, 4) that God raised Jesus in a bodily resurrection but also that this includes his literal return on the Mount of Olives in the Second Coming, and 5) that miracles appear in the Bible but also that you must accept the objective reality of everyone of them.

Clearly the canon and the creeds help us determine if an inspiration is really God’s Word by providing standards we can use. At the same time, I think it is very important we see these standards have a great deal of flexibility so they can be relevant even 2000 years after their writing. So far the most frequent concern expressed by readers of this study has been the need to appreciate how God’s Word applies to particular times and places. These readers talk of the need for the faith to help people live their lives in the real world. Preserving this flexibility built into canon and creed goes a long way in addressing their concern.

Next week I’ll take a look at how other parts of the tradition play their role.

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