Sunday, July 24, 2011

The "right wing Christian fundamentalist"

Last Friday will forever be described as a horrific nightmare for family and friends of 92 people.  Last Friday, 92 innocent people had their lives taken from them by a 32 year old male who has been named as a "right wing Christian fundamentalist".  Many of the victims were children....teenagers at a youth camp.

May our sincere thoughts and prayers be turned toward the family and friends of these victims and may they find even some small peace in knowing that this murderer is in custody.

As I was reading about this tragedy, I kept reading the term "right wing Christian fundamentalist" and I became curious as to the exact definition of  that term.  I have heard that term for a long time but I just wondered how the world was defining the term and I was kind of curious to know if I am one of those folks since I am a Christian who stands on the authority of the Word of God.

As I searched my computer to find my answer, I found some information about  the beginnings of "Christian fundamentalism " in America. This is what I read and I want to share it with you.  I think it is important for us to know about such things that we make speak with wisdom and be able to give answers to those who ask us questions.

My source is Wikipedia

Fundamentalism as a movement arose in the United States, starting among conservative Presbyterian theologians at Princeton Theological Seminary in the late 19th century.  It soon spread to conservatives among the Baptist and other denominations around 1910-1920.  The momvements\'s purpose was to reaffirm key theological tenets and zealously defend them against the challenges of liberal theology and higher criticism.

The term "fundamentalism" has it's roots in the Niagara Bible  Conference (1878-1897) which defined those tenets it considered fundamental to Christian belief.  The term was popularized by "The Fundamentals", a collection of twelve books on five subjects published in 1910 and funded by the brothers Milton and Lyman Stewart.  This series of essays came to be representative of the "Fundamentalist-Modernist Controversy" which appeared late in the 1920's.  The first formulation of American fundamentalist beliefs can be traced  to the Niagara Bible Conference and, in 1910, to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church which distilled these into what became known as the "five fundamentals"

1.)The  inspiration of the Bible by the Holy Spirit and the inerrancy of Scripture as a result of this
2.) The virgin birth of Christ
3.) The belief that Christ's death was the atonement for sin
4.) The bodily resurrection of Christ
5.) The historical reality of Christ's miracles

By the late 1910's, the theological conservatives rallying around the Five Fundamentals came to be known as "fundamentalist".  In practice, the first point regarding the Bible was the focus of most of the controversy.

It is important to distinguish between "Fundamentalism" as the name of a militant style and "fundamentalism" as a theology.  Evangelical groups typically agree on the theology "fundamentals" as expressed in The Fundamentals, but often are willing to participate in events with religious groups who do not hold to the essential doctrines.  Fundamentalist groups generally refuse to participate in events with such groups who don't hold to the essential doctrines.

Well.....that was a learning time for me when I read that.  Those 5 "fundamentals" are doctrines that I take a solid stand on.  I guess that would define me as a fundamentalist, theologically speaking.  Wikipedia ends by encouraging people to understand the difference between "militant" style fundamentalism and "fundamentalism" as theology.  Wikipedia defines the "militant" style fundamentalism as the unwillingness to participate in events with groups that don't hold to the essential doctrines.

I have thought about that and have drawn some conclusions that I believe are based on the Word of God.

Jesus did draw boundaries for His followers- We are reminded to: "Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord"- II Corinthians 6:17

Jesus said that His followers are "not of the world, even as I am not of the world"- John 17:16

Jesus warned His followers that the "world " would hate us - I John 3:13

Jesus tells us not to be unequally yolked with unbelievers- II Corinthians 6:14

Jesus tells us to not be conformed to this world- Romans 12:2


This is just a short list of verses that deal with the followers of Jesus and their relationship with the world and it's philosophy.

But I want to stop there and get to the what seems to be the "Internet question of the day"- Was this killer in Norway a Christian?  Good question....so what is the answer?

Well, I am not God and only God knows the hearts of men.  However if he was accused of being a Christian and I was on the jury- I really don't have enough evidence to convict him.

While the world will have a great time associating Christianity with this killer they call a "right wing Christian fundamentalist, I want to talk about the one thing that was missing from this killers actions.  It was LOVE.  This is very telling as it was Jesus who gave the commandment of love and God is the definition of love

When Jesus talked about the life of a believer, He said this:  "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."  John 13:35.

Let's look at our own lives for a minute.  Are we called to take a stand against what is contrary to the Word of God?  (abortion, homosexuality....just a few hot topics)  Absolutely!

Are we called to be separated from the worldly philosophies?  Absolutely!

If so, then why didn't Jesus say "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye.....take a stand against homosexuality.....if ye take a stand against abortion....if ye.....fill in the blank.

No! Jesus said the world would know we were His followers if we had love for one another.  Why?  why did Jesus say that?

Well, I believe Jesus was teaching us that taking a stand can never supersede love.  Even when we stand up for what is right, it must be done in a heart of love or it is not of God.

Love and standing up for the Word of God must go hand in hand- Love without standing for principal also bears rotten fruit- It is the fruit of walking away from Biblical principals in order to just "love everybody".  This is why we see churches now marrying homosexuals...just one example.  We are called to love homosexuals, we are not called to compromise principal for love.  That is not true love!


I think this "love" thing is bringing a crisis to churches.  Either we have gone so far to one side of the scale that we have done away with our convictions or we are so set on taking a stand that we fail to do so in love and gentleness.  The world has a lot of criticism toward the church and sad to say, at times it is deserved.

Sinners loved Jesus when He walked on this earth!  It was the "religious" folks who gave Him a rough time.
Jesus never softened His message but at the same time, He never failed in the area of love.

Back to my original question- Was this killer a Christian?  Well as the saying goes, if he walks like a duck and talks like a duck then he probably is a duck.  Or, to apply it to our lives, if we walk like Jesus and we talk like Jesus, then we probably belong to Jesus. This man did not walk like Jesus, he did not talk like Jesus.  Just the opposite, he resembles the evil one the Bible names Satan.  We know that satan came to steal, kill and destroy.  It is Jesus who came to give life and life more abundant. (John 10:10)

Jesus would have never condoned such behavior as we saw from this killer.  Today Jesus is walking in the midst of hurting families and a country asking "Why?"  He is there to comfort and to bring peace to all hearts that will invite Him in.

Pray for all the hurting family and friends of the victims.  This is an opportunity for us to be the hands and feet of Jesus.