What Is a Fundamentalist

The immediate reaction by most people when they hear about that “So-and-so is a Christian fundamentalist” is images of a slight demented, slobbering madman, ranting and raving about nothing. They might as well have heard that an insane criminal had escaped from the state institution.

What is interesting about the criticisms that I have heard on TV or read in whatever publication concerning fundamentalists is that they are behavior related. A person is a fundamentalist because he acts a certain way. Bible-thumper, screamer, born-again, et al are other terms spoken with distaste and disgust.

Let me ask this: Is it possible to tell a Republican or a Democrat by the way they act? What behavior would uniquely identify either one? I recall Daddy Warbucks in “Little Orphan Annie" asking, “What do Democrats eat for breakfast?” It is a bit of a comical question, isn’t it? Actions as proofs can be deceiving and terribly misleading. Actions can be used to determine if a person’s behavior is in alignment with his beliefs, but it is very difficult, if not impossible, to use actions to determine beliefs.

Let’s assume we see someone help a stranger in need. What does that person believe? What is his motive for his helping? Even if actions seem to be uniform, without words we cannot be sure. Behavior can demonstrate whether said action is consistent with his beliefs, but they cannot delineate or define his beliefs.

Beliefs are the key to what a person IS. I can act like a Republican, or I can be a Republican. In the former I don’t have to believe anything about Republican beliefs or principles; in the latter I believe the tenets of Republicanism. A person is a fundamentalist because of beliefs, and his actions, like anyone else’s, will be consistent or not consistent with those beliefs.

So what are the tenets, the beliefs of fundamentalism? The history is listed online for those who what to know how the term came about, and it is an interesting story (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalism). Typically, five tenets are listed; sometimes there are six.

1. The Bible is the infallible Word of God.
2. Jesus was virgin born, establishing the incarnation and maintaining His divinity.
3. Jesus performed miracles.
4. Jesus was crucified on the cross to die a substitutionary, vicarious death for the sins of the world.
5. Jesus rose from the dead bodily and physically.
6. Jesus will return physically at some future, unknowable date and bring judgment and set up rulership. (This is the sixth point that is optionally used.)

Ironically I’m not sure if 10% of those who call themselves fundamentalists would be able to list the above points; however, 100% would state firm belief, commitment, and allegiance to the above points.

As a side note, a committed Roman Catholic would believe the tenets of fundamentalism, but no one calls a Roman Catholic a fundamentalist. Why is that? It is principle one: the Bible is the Word of God. A fundamentalist believes #1 exclusively. A Roman Catholic believes that #1 AND the authority of Church tradition are co-equal. If anyone adds anything to #1, then he is no longer a fundamentalist. (Again, read the history in the above link or do other searches for Christian fundamentalism.)

To recap, a fundamentalist is a fundamentalist because he believes certain tenets. If those tenets are truly believed and internalized, then he IS a fundamentalist. His actions may vary. Any uniform behavior among fundamentalist is culturally based, is co-incidental, and is changeable.