What's in a Name?
I guess the big question is why start a blog if you are never going to post? Good question. The answer is that the road to Sheol is paved with good intentions and I didn't plan on a combination of various church needs coinciding with a double bout of stomach flu hitting our family unit. I know, I know, excuses are like armpits everyone has them...
Having given a mission statement, I feel that a brief explanation of the blog title is appropriate. So here goes... I grew up in the home of a pastor who grew up in the home of a pastor. Both my father and grandfather were godly men for whom I have the highest respect and admiration. My grandfather died when I was 6 and I wish I could have known him longer and better. I lost my dad a little over a year ago and miss him everyday. Trust me, his wisdom and counsel would come in real handy these days. Because of this background I grew up sitting in a front row seat for the ecclesiastical goings on over the last 30 years. Our church was definitely on the conservative side but not to the extreme. But some of the other churches and pastors that we rubbed shoulders with were a bit more, oh let's say, stringent in their approach to how Christianity ought to be carried out in church and everyday life. Movies? (a fairly big issue in our house) NO WAY!!!! Rock and Roll music? BEWARE THE DEVIL BEAT!!! Guitars in the sanctuary? WORDLY ENTERTAINMENT!!! The King James Bible? IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR PAUL IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!!! (OK I never actually heard anyone say that but you get the drift). Stylish clothes? NEVER!!! (Ok, once again I never heard any of them condemn stylish clothing but they did seem to go to great lengths to avoid them.)
The problem was that those with whom I found myself most closely identified in regards to theology and doctrine seemed to be lacking some major components of what seems to be basic Christian practice: things such as love, compassion, humility and joy. Again let me state, I am not talking about my dad. He demonstrated all those things in abundance. Also, not everything about these guys was bad. They had a love for the truth and zeal for evangelism and I saw some great things. But I also saw combativeness dressed up as contending for the truth. I saw spiritual pride wrapped up in biblical separation. I saw racism camouflaged as common sense. I saw my youth pastor pushing his hair behind his ears as he was getting off the bus at a church regional event to give it the appearance of not actually covering his ears (for thus sayeth the Lord: A mans heart shall thus be judged by the width of skin which shall appear over his ears) All of these things were being done in the name of Fundamentalism to help ward off the encroachment of Liberalism.
I found myself becoming very uncomfortable with carrying the label Fundamentalist. Add to that what the Muslims were doing to the term and I was pretty much in full flight from it. I went to Bible School. Not the one everyone else went to, but to one that some would have considered a bit suspect. I found the wonderful world of the Evangelicals. Thought I had found my true brethren. Good theology (mostly) without all the attitude, lots of friends and plenty of heartfelt discussion. I began my campaign for those I knew and loved to cast off the shackles and join in. But alas, youthful dreams get shattered and the real world and starkness of ministry brought about some new perspectives and a new appreciation for my spiritual roots.
Just as in my childhood days when the term Fundamentalist began to stray from its roots to stand for something it shouldn't have, today the term Evangelical has lost any meaning at all. So a guy might not think all the Bible is inspired, he's still an Evangelical. You're not sure Jesus is the only way to eternal life? No problem, your still an Evangelical. Hey I know what... let's all sign an agreement that says even though you deify Mary, recrucify Christ everyday, and say I have to have a priest absolve me, we should all just get along and pretend none of that matters.
Therefore my cause has changed. Let's take Fundamentalism back! At least let's make an attempt at exposing that which is wrong and at times ridiculous and bring back to the forefront that which is right and good about Fundamentalism. Reluctant though I may be, I am what I am, a fundamentalist. (See, that wasn't so hard!)
Having given a mission statement, I feel that a brief explanation of the blog title is appropriate. So here goes... I grew up in the home of a pastor who grew up in the home of a pastor. Both my father and grandfather were godly men for whom I have the highest respect and admiration. My grandfather died when I was 6 and I wish I could have known him longer and better. I lost my dad a little over a year ago and miss him everyday. Trust me, his wisdom and counsel would come in real handy these days. Because of this background I grew up sitting in a front row seat for the ecclesiastical goings on over the last 30 years. Our church was definitely on the conservative side but not to the extreme. But some of the other churches and pastors that we rubbed shoulders with were a bit more, oh let's say, stringent in their approach to how Christianity ought to be carried out in church and everyday life. Movies? (a fairly big issue in our house) NO WAY!!!! Rock and Roll music? BEWARE THE DEVIL BEAT!!! Guitars in the sanctuary? WORDLY ENTERTAINMENT!!! The King James Bible? IF IT WAS GOOD ENOUGH FOR PAUL IT'S GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!!! (OK I never actually heard anyone say that but you get the drift). Stylish clothes? NEVER!!! (Ok, once again I never heard any of them condemn stylish clothing but they did seem to go to great lengths to avoid them.)
The problem was that those with whom I found myself most closely identified in regards to theology and doctrine seemed to be lacking some major components of what seems to be basic Christian practice: things such as love, compassion, humility and joy. Again let me state, I am not talking about my dad. He demonstrated all those things in abundance. Also, not everything about these guys was bad. They had a love for the truth and zeal for evangelism and I saw some great things. But I also saw combativeness dressed up as contending for the truth. I saw spiritual pride wrapped up in biblical separation. I saw racism camouflaged as common sense. I saw my youth pastor pushing his hair behind his ears as he was getting off the bus at a church regional event to give it the appearance of not actually covering his ears (for thus sayeth the Lord: A mans heart shall thus be judged by the width of skin which shall appear over his ears) All of these things were being done in the name of Fundamentalism to help ward off the encroachment of Liberalism.
I found myself becoming very uncomfortable with carrying the label Fundamentalist. Add to that what the Muslims were doing to the term and I was pretty much in full flight from it. I went to Bible School. Not the one everyone else went to, but to one that some would have considered a bit suspect. I found the wonderful world of the Evangelicals. Thought I had found my true brethren. Good theology (mostly) without all the attitude, lots of friends and plenty of heartfelt discussion. I began my campaign for those I knew and loved to cast off the shackles and join in. But alas, youthful dreams get shattered and the real world and starkness of ministry brought about some new perspectives and a new appreciation for my spiritual roots.
Just as in my childhood days when the term Fundamentalist began to stray from its roots to stand for something it shouldn't have, today the term Evangelical has lost any meaning at all. So a guy might not think all the Bible is inspired, he's still an Evangelical. You're not sure Jesus is the only way to eternal life? No problem, your still an Evangelical. Hey I know what... let's all sign an agreement that says even though you deify Mary, recrucify Christ everyday, and say I have to have a priest absolve me, we should all just get along and pretend none of that matters.
Therefore my cause has changed. Let's take Fundamentalism back! At least let's make an attempt at exposing that which is wrong and at times ridiculous and bring back to the forefront that which is right and good about Fundamentalism. Reluctant though I may be, I am what I am, a fundamentalist. (See, that wasn't so hard!)
posted by Heavy G at 23.2.06
2 comments
