What Is The Meaning Of The Word 'Fundamentalist'

[Abd_Yesua_alMasih]

It is a slur commonly used to describe anyone deemed to be to the religious right of you so you don't have to think about their beliefs anymore.

That is how some people use it. But, it is not always the case. It does have legitimate usage.

Yeah and that I guess is the largest problem with it because you never really know how the person you are talking to will understand it as a word. It has a lot of emotion behind it for some people and is almost derogatory, while for others it is a very technical term.

 

[KMK]

Legalism is the adherence to a set of "extra biblical" "man made" rules and/or regulations which in essence earn God's favor. It is "works righteousness" and thus the similarities between Fundies and Roman Catholics are sometimes drawn up by some theologians when it comes to the working out of their systems.

The problem with this definition is that all Christians believe that the rules they follow are biblical. Both John MacArthur and Al Mohler abstain from alcohol for biblical reasons yet I don't know of anyone who labels them 'legalists'. Perhaps a 'legalist' is anyone who follows rules that you don't.

I think it needs to be stated that fundamentalism also exists outside of Christendom. It seems that when the term fundamentalism is used on this board, and in most places among Christians, people bring to mind Independent Fundamental Baptists. But, the principle of fundamentalism runs across the entire breadth of religious expression.

This was going to be my next question. What does the news media mean when they use the term 'Fundamentalist Mormons'? What are their presuppositions?

Also, until this thread, I did not know that 'Fundamentalism' was a Presbyterian event as well.

 

[KMK]

I would say that a fundamentalist believes that faith overides reason, or alternatively that reason is opposed to faith. In this regard the classic Reformed position is not fundamentalist as we believe that our faith can be established by reason (albeit involving presupositionalism).

Likewise fundamentalist moralism can often be explained by a refusal to follow theology through to its logical outcome, which also explains why they can have some really incoherent and contradictory theology.

Exactly. And in American terms, if you are a Baptist and support the US government giving Israel free money and strong political support, then you are a fundie. That's the easiest litmus test of all.

I doubt this is the case. We are the only church in the community that is NOT dispensational.

Perhaps the word 'fundie' and 'fundamentalist' are two different terms with different meanings.

 

[py3ak]

You're not going to find one set meaning. What it conveys depends on who's using it, and in what context. I tend to use it for a certain psychological/sociological mindset characterized by rigid superficiality. In that sense, most of us have at least one or two fundamentalist bones in our body. But my "speaker's meaning" doesn't apply in all situations. But if someone calls you a fundamentalist just whip out a handy laminated notecard and inquire whether it's meaning A, B, C, D, or E that they intend.

 

[Reformed Thomist]

fun⋅da⋅men⋅tal⋅ist [fuhn-duh-men-tl-ist]

adj. & n.

1. That word which liberals shout at religious persons who disagree with them on matters of faith and practice.

 

[ke4cci]

I would define a legalist is anyone that adds a condition to the belief of grace alone to being saved, that we would have to do keep salvation versus out of love because we have salvation.

 

[Rich Koster]

Fundies, to me, are Bob Jones U, Word of Life types who are exclusively Dispensational. They also tack on a lot of NO's to grace (no smoking, drinking, dancing, movies, card playing) and are 1611AKJV ONLY, hostile to any other Bible.

Except that neither BJU nor Word of Life are KJVO. Also, BJU isn't exclusively Dispensational (don't know about Word of Life). Be careful who you implicate in your stereotypes.

My brushstroke was a couple hairs too wide. I should have said the vast majority of the BJU/WoL. There are exceptions, but my stereotype will be supported by most staff and graduates who wholeheartedly endorse these institutions without any disagreement to their policies/doctrine.

-----Added 6/18/2009 at 06:01:06 EST-----

Fundamental Evangelistic Association Homepage

Yes. If you click on their doctrine section, it is what I consider to be a "Christian Fundamentalist".

-----Added 6/18/2009 at 06:05:19 EST-----

You're not going to find one set meaning. What it conveys depends on who's using it, and in what context. I tend to use it for a certain psychological/sociological mindset characterized by rigid superficiality. In that sense, most of us have at least one or two fundamentalist bones in our body. But my "speaker's meaning" doesn't apply in all situations. But if someone calls you a fundamentalist just whip out a handy laminated notecard and inquire whether it's meaning A, B, C, D, or E that they intend.

That is true with much of the English language

 

[DMcFadden]

The problem of defining "fundamentalist" is analogous to the opening message Fuller Prez Richard Mouw delivers to students at FTS: Every one of you is here over the objections of someone. To those on the far left, we are a bunch of fundamentalists; to those on the far right, we are all liberals.

To anyone left of you, you are a "fundamentalist" for the same reason that you are a "liberal" to anyone on your right. Pretty elastic definition, eh?

 

[Rich Koster]

The problem of defining "fundamentalist" is analogous to the opening message Fuller Prez Richard Mouw delivers to students at FTS: Every one of you is here over the objections of someone. To those on the far left, we are a bunch of fundamentalists; to those on the far right, we are all liberals.

To anyone left of you, you are a "fundamentalist" for the same reason that you are a "liberal" to anyone on your right. Pretty elastic definition, eh?

elastic fundamentalism.......... hmmmmm, as long as it is 4 inches below the knee.