Friday, June 13, 2008

Six Steps of a Fundamentalist Revolt



Successful fundamentalist revivals follow a predictable 6 step progression:

  1. Fundamentalism starts with a claim to orthodoxy perceiving itself to be the recipient of and protector of the True Faith.
  2. A modern faith emerges which is adjusting to a changing condition and Fundamentalism reacts against this.
  3. Fundamentalism then selects sacred texts which support its beliefs, but rejects other texts which contradict its ideology narrowing the idealogical landscape
  4. Fundamentalism attacks academic liberty, arguing for discussion only within a narrowly defined parameter.
  5. Fundamentalism then moves on to a simplistic view tending to define issues in the conflict in terms of light and darkness, good and evil, heaven and hell – leaving little room for paradox, inconsistency, parable, allegory or metaphor.
  6. Finally if the revolt is successful fundamentalism establish an orthodoxy of absolutism and certainty.
This of course creates a new material reality which creates a new modern faith and the cycle of conflict repeats.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

"establish an orthodoxy of absolutism and certainty."

I'm starting to see this a lot these days. Excellent insight and an excellent post CD.

CD-Host said...

Bryon --

Glad you enjoyed! I popped over to your blog, those Luke proofs do look nice. I wish they had include more of the text I'd love to see the verse commentary and compare to the TNIV.

Anonymous said...

I think it should be noted that Fundamentalism is only a small part of conservative Christianity. Also, I would strongly argue that absolutism is not a recent development.