Eavesdropping on Asia Minor 2

[Here's an index to this series of posts]

So, what of those who identify with the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:1-7), whose besetting sin is loveless fundamentalism?

The church at Ephesus was both doctrinally and ethically sound.  ‘In fact, Jesus commended them for two virtues scarcely mentioned in the emerging church: intolerance (of false teaching) and hatred (of immorality).  For all the talk in emerging churches about the supremely inclusive kingdom of God, it shouldnot escape our notice that Ephsus was not praised for their inclusion, but for their exclusion.’

‘Maximal Conservatism’

It occurs to me that theological liberalism reached the height of its influence in the period leading up to 1977.  In fact, Alister McGrath makes a comment to this effect in his biography of J.I. Packer, To Know and Serve God, p212.  In that year two books were published by SCM Press which seemed finally to demonstrate that liberalism was, in the end, an impoverished, negative, destructive influence that was incapable of serving the purpose of Christ in this or any other generation.  (This is not, of course, to tar all liberals with the same brush: happily, many and are were inconsistent liberals and hold on to elements of orthodox biblical faith despite themselves.)

Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism

The word ‘fundamentalism’ has gone through several metamorphoses in the course of its 100-year history.  Originally, it attached itself to the sentiments of a set of articles entitled, The Fundamentals: a Testimony to the Truth, which sought to affirm, in the light of ‘attacks’ from liberals and modernists, what were regarded as essential doctrines of the Christian faith.  Latterly, of course, the word has often been used to refer to militant extremists of any religious background.  But for most of its life the word ‘fundamentalism’ has referred to a particular mind-set within conservative Protestantism.  What are the main tendencies of this type of fundamentalism, and how do they contrast with what many of us would regard as authentic evangelicalism?  The following is based on John Stott’s helpful analysis:-