Challenging the Spirit of Fundamentalism with the Biblical Gospel

The spirit of fundamentalism (not to be confused with the “fundamentals of the faith”) - Andrew Sandlin describes it as a divisive spirit in the preface to the article:

When we see loud, simplistic certitudes that cannot be supported by careful Biblical exegesis, insults targeting sisters and brothers who may interpret the Bible a little differently from “our camp,” sectarians that label as “heresy” everything from infant communion to evangelical postmodernism to “irrationalism,” we can be certain we are observing the fundamentalist spirit at work.

John Armstrong writes at the Center for Cultural Leadership calls it “militancy wrapped in confessionalism.” He quotes the late theologian E.J. Carnell:

The mentality of fundamentalism [in contrast to evangelicalism] is dominated by ideological thinking. Ideological thinking is rigid, intolerant, and doctrinaire; it sees principles everywhere, and all principles come in clear tones of black and white; it exempts itself from the limits that original sin places on history; it wages holy wars without acknowledging the elements of pride and personal interest that prompt the call to battle; it creates new evils while trying to correct old ones (emphasis mine, The Case for Orthodoxy, 114).

John contrasts this with healthy orthodoxy:

Healthy orthodoxy is entirely different in its mentality. It seeks to rise above ideology, to be generous and open to others, while holding to the core truths that define historic, classical Christianity. It acknowledges the frailty of men and movements, past and present.

and continues:

One of the problems in our conservative churches and movements, however, can be seen at this precise point. If we cry “heretic” often enough, before long the term carries little or no significance. The various “attack-dog” writers, of certain conservative movements, use the word heretic to routinely describe everyone from John Spong to N. T. Wright, little realizing that Tom Wright is one of the great proponents of biblical truth in our generation.

It is interesting how many are speaking out against ‘ugly theology.’ Even Phil Johnson over at PyroManiac started out his 2nd real post discussing how certain bloggers were distancing themselves from Calvinism because of the “down n’dirty version of callow Calvinism that has flourished chiefly on the Internet”. Johnson sees the problem tied to the internet:

The upsurge of Calvinism on the Internet in the 1990s seems to have spawned a large and unprecedented movement of jejune Calvinists who wear arrogance as if it were the team uniform. That kind of hotshot, shoot-from-the-hip Calvinism is ugly. I don’t blame anyone for being appalled by it. I’m worried about those who think it’s a good thing.

but

Historic Calvinism is not supposed to be that way. Yes, Calvinism is virile; it’s relentless when it comes to truth; and it’s not always easy to swallow. But it is full of truths that should humble us and fill us with compassion rather than swagger and conceit. The best Calvinism has always been fervently evangelistic, large-hearted, benevolent, merciful, and forgiving. After all, that’s what the doctrines of grace are supposed to be all about.

and gives this advice:

And meanwhile, my advice to young Calvinists is to learn your theology from the historic mainstream Calvinist authors, not from blogs and discussion forums on the Internet. Some of the forums may be helpful in pointing you to more important resources. But if you think of them as a surrogate for seminary, you’re probably going to become an ugly Calvinist—and if you get hit in the face with a rotten egg, you probably deserve it.