Tag: how

How Do You Define Fundamentalism?

~ Bob Hayton ~ 16 Comments

So how do you define Fundamentalism?

Which of the following definitions seems correct to you? Which one raises your eyebrows?

1) Fundamentalism is a movement of likeminded people and churches who “still cling to the great fundamentals and who mean to do battle royal” against theological liberalism. (quote from Curtis Lee Laws in 1920)

2) Fundamentalism is strict adherence to specific, fundamental, theological doctrines typically in reaction against Modernist theology.

3) The word fundamental means, one who holds to the original faith and practice of a movement…. A fundamental Baptist church is a church whose faith and practice goes back to 31 A.D. to Jesus. You can be a fundamental Methodist and go back to Wesley. You can be a fundamental Presbyterian and go back to Calvin or Zwingli. You can be a fundamental Lutheran and go back to Luther. You can be a fundamental Catholic and go back to Constantine, but you cannot be a real Bible fundamentalist unless you go back to Jesus. (quote from Jack Hyles taken from his book The Church)

4) Fundamentalism is “a combination of psuedo-religious legalism with endless man-made rules given Ten Commandment-status, religious hypocrisy, extreme sectarianism, religious pride, and pervasive intellectual, ecclesiastic, ethical corruption and dishonesty all ruled over by a few men who embodied the worst qualities of the original Pharisees and whose teachings and actions cannot be questioned.” (quote from this anti-fundamentalist blog)

The fundamentalism I identify with is #1 or #2 above. I abhor the #4 type. In my experience, however, the #4 type is most pervasive and most common. The #3 mentality is also common among fundamental Baptists. They have an exclusive hold on the truth, or so they think. Check out this website for another example of this thinking. I am suspicious of this #3 mentality, but many good people are caught up in that kind of thinking.

Alright, what about you? What is your take on these four definitions of fundamentalism? Do you have a better definition? Join the discussion below.

“The Jesus Book: The Ultimate Who, What, When, Where, and Why Book” by Stephen Elkins

~ Bob Hayton

Author: Stephen Elkins (illustrated by Claudine Gevry)
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Format: deluxe hardcover
Publication Date: 2009
Pages: 96
ISBN: 9781400314638
Stars: 3 of 5

Bible story books are a dime a dozen these days. Kids growing up in church have heard the stories and seen the illustrations time and again. Still, young hearts need to be captured by the message of the Bible and every tool we can use is commendable.

Stephen Elkins has given us a unique kind of book, that will let a child learn the story of Jesus from the inside out. The Jesus Book: The Ultimate Who, What, When, Where, and Why Book allows children to explore Who Jesus is, what Jesus did, what Jesus taught, when and where it all happened, and most importantly why it happened.

The book shows the many sides of Christ’s story. Jesus is presented as The Promised One, The Son of God, The King of the Jews, The Christ, The Lamb of God and more. Bible passages are given for the child to explore that theme more closely. The actions of Christ are presented in a similar fashion. He raised the dead, forgave sins, healed the sick and most importantly brought salvation to the world through his death and resurrection.

The What Jesus Taught section samples Jesus’ teaching on a variety of topics, again with Scripture verses for children to explore in more detail. The “when” and “where” sections get even more kid-friendly. Time-lines and maps (with keys) let the reader really figure out the story and explore the world of the Bible. Still a few questions about when and where key events happened in the life of Christ are also discussed besides the time-lines and maps.

The questions answered in the “why” and “how” sections offer parents a tool for applying the Bible’s story of Jesus to little hearts. “Why did Jesus love children?” “Why did the Pharisees plan to kill Jesus?” “Why did Jesus die on a cross for me?” “How do we receive eternal life?” “How does Jesus want us to live?” “How long does salvation last?” These questions are answered in the book, and a sinner’s prayer for salvation is modeled. While they get children thinking, I would be more comfortable if parents read these sections and interacted with their children through them.

Another feature the book offers is a CD with over an hour of songs about Jesus and the Bible. The CD’s accompaniment doesn’t drown out the message of the songs. It’s one of the better kids song CDs available, and is the perfect compliment to this book.

Again The Jesus Book is a great tool that may get your children thinking more about Jesus. It offers a great opportunity for parents to shepherd their children as they express interest in Jesus Christ. This book is to be recommended as another good tool to aid parents in their responsibility of training their children in the faith.

Stephen Elkins is a best-selling author, musician, and Grammy-nominated producer. Elkins is also the author of the chart-topping 100 Bible Stories series and Read-n-See DVD Bible.

Claudine Gevry has illustrated over sixty books with her rich and whimsical art style.

My thanks go out to Thomas Nelson for sending me a review copy of this book, through their Book Sneeze blogger book review program. I was not obligated to provide a positive review of this book.

Disclaimer: this book was provided by the publisher for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

This book is available for purchase at the following sites: Amazon.com or direct from Thomas Nelson.