Christian Fundamentalism
A List of Resources
Produced by Jerry Seay

For a good brief, basic explanation of Christian Fundamentalism see The Rise of Fundamentalism by Duke University Divinity School's Grant Wacker, Ph.D.

Bibliography

What is Fundamentalism and What this Web Site is About


Christian fundamentalists interpret the Bible as the inerrant, factual, and literal word of God.  Though each of these terms can be argued as to what exactly the terms mean, it is in any case clear that fundamentalism rejects any modernist critical interpretation of the Bible.  They reject most modern scientific findings in biology and geology, or at least greatly reinterpret them to "fit" their view of the Bible.  Most believe, for example, that the world was created in seven 24 hour days simply because that is what the Genesis account says. Most fundamentalist also believe that the earth (and the universe) is no more than a few (less than ten) thousand years old based on the genealogies in the Bible. Any findings by science that seem to refute this argument are simply discarded and seen to be "obviously wrong" since it disagrees with the Bible. In other words, "if it disagrees with the Bible (the fundamentalist view of the Bible), then it is wrong and probably straight from Satan."  It must be stated for the record that there are differing levels or versions of fundamentalist belief.  Some fundamentalists, for example, believe that the Genesis account allows for so the called  "day - age" interpretation, in which the days of creation are actually unknown periods of time.  Even such "liberal" fundamentalists, however, believe that everything written about in the Bible is an accurate reporting of actual historical events.
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This "literal" interpretation of the Bible is very dear to fundamentalist to the extent that most believe that anyone who does not accept this "literal" interpretation are not true Christians.  Many "hard core" fundamentalist even believe that anyone who does not use the King James (1611) version of the Bible is destined for Hell.

Though I long ago discarded my own fundamentalist beliefs (having been raised a Southern Baptist), I remain interested in understanding this area. This web site is an attempt to offer resources in the area of Christian fundamentalist belief both from within and outside of the fundamentalist viewpoint. Initially the sources shall be divided into those within the fundamentalist camp and those outside of the fundamentalist camp.  Eventually I shall further subdivide these areas into more specific categories involving specific issues such as age of earth, creationism/evolution, Biblical history, literal interpretation, miracles, the deluge, Biblical criticism, apocalypticism.

                                                            --Jerry Seay
                                                               December 7, 1998

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Bibliography

Within Fundamentalism
Sources that assume a fundamentalist viewpoint

Books
Free, Joseph P. revised and expanded by Howard F. Vos. Archaeology and Bible history.  Grand Rapids, MI : Zondervan, 1992.

Web Sites
Prophecy And Apologetic Site, Exposing the works of the Evil One, And False Teachings

FUNDAMENTALISTS AND FUNDAMENTALISM
http://www.biblebelievers.com/BBBArtOne5_96.html

Bible Believers Press
https://www.biblebelievers.com/BBP1.html
This site contains many articles written by fundamentalist teacher Peter S. Ruckman "and other various authors of like mindedness"  Mostly their "like mindedness" is the view that the original King James version of the Bible is the ONLY real word of God. Some of the articles include the following:.

Inside the Scroll
https://www.hsv.tis.net/~ke4vol/scroll/scroll.html
Producer of this site believes that the KJV of the Bible is the only "true" word of God.  Contains numerous links to fundamentalist sources. Has interesting comment section called "Sweet & Sour" in which both pro and con fundamentalist positions are included.

Bible Believers' Resource Page Topic : Biblical Fundamentalism
https://www.tcsn.net/kcondron/kjcfunda.htm
Contains the following articles::

Defense of the Gospel in Spurgeon's Day and Now - by T.T. Shields
Fundamentalism, Modernism, and New Evangelicalism - by David W. Cloud
Is Fundamentalism a Belief in Five Fundamentals? - by David W. Cloud
Passive Fundamentalism - by Allen Dickerson
The Old Fashioned Fundamentalist - M.H. Reynolds
Understanding the Times - A Fundamentalist Proclamation
Bible Believer's Resource Page
https://www.tcsn.net/kcondron/default.htm
On-Line Resources for Fundamental, Evangelistic, Separated, Born Again, Bible Believing Christians Using Only the Authorized Version (1611 KJV)
 

Outside of Fundamentalism
Sources that do not assume a fundamentalist viewpoint (sometimes even an anti-fundamentalist viewpoint).  Included are critical examinations of the belief system,  sociological analysis, skeptical investigations and/or explanations, scientific viewpoints, and alternative interpretations..

Books
Barr, James. Beyond Fundamentalism. Philadelphia : Westminster Press, 1984.

Boone, Kathleen C. The Bible tells them so : the discourse of Protestant fundamentalism. Albany, N.Y. : State University of New York Press, 1989.

Dodd, Paul. If My People Who Are Called Baptists: A Layman's Challenge.
An open-minded layman's view of key issues in Baptist life, such as racism, women in the church, and the Bible. The context for his book resides in Dodd's claim that "I am a recovering fundamentalist. I will probably always be in a state of recovery. It is very hard to overcome fundamentalism, once you have experienced it." Dodd writes,

Funk, Robert W. The Complete Gospels : Annotated Scholars Version

Graham, Lloyd M. Deceptions and Myths of the Bible.

Lane Fox, Robin,  The Unauthorized Version : Truth and Fiction in the Bible.  New York : Knopf, 1991.

Hill, Jim and Cheadle, Rand. The Bible Tells Me So : Uses and Abuses of Holy Scripture

Pagels, Elaine. The Origin of Satan. New York: Random House, 1995.
An excellent explanation of the origin of the christian idea of satan adopted from the hebrews.  Shows the development of this idea first in the context of pagan persecution and then as a methodology for dealing with heretics within christianity itself.

Martin, Michael.  The Case Against Christianity.

McKinsey , Dennis  C. The Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy.

Wheless, Joseph.  Is It God's Word : An Exposition of the Fables & Mythology of the Bible & the Fallacies of Theology.
 

Web Sites

New Religios Movements
https://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~jkh8x/soc257/home.html
This is an excellent site to use as a basis for exploration of religious movements in christianity. Good source for definitions of terms such as cult, sect, anti-cult, and counter-cult. Includes scholarly explanations of fundamentalism as well as bibliography and annotated links to web sites.

Why The "Fundamentalist" Approach To Religion Must Be Wrong
https://www.pe.net/~bidstrup/religion.htm

BORN AGAIN FUNDAMENTALISM - HOPE OR HOAX?
https://www.angelfire.com/pa/greywlf/

Walk Away:
A site for ex-fundamentalists: Information from the organization that provides support services to those wishing to disassociate themselves from Christian fundamentalism.
https://www.berkshire.net/~ifas/wa/
Contains many articles challenging fundamentalist positions

Why I Am No Longer a Fundamentalist: A Confession
https://www.baylor.edu/~Thomas_McCasland/fundamentalist.html

Fundamentalism (from the AlaPadre Catholic Corner)
https://alapadre.net/fundamen.html
Includes the following articles:

   1.Fundamentalism \ AlaPopStop Index
   2.Fundamentalism \ nd.edu/~theo/glossary
   3.Fundamentalism \ Stanley OP
   4.Fundamentalist or Catholic
   5.How to Talk to Fundamentalists
   6.The Challenges of Religious Fundamentalism and Violence to Social Harmony
   7.Toward Your Happiness \ Bishops of Alabama & Mississippi (1989) 
   8.What Is Fundamentalism? \ catholic.com
What The Christian Fundamentalist Doesn't Want You To Know: A Brief Survey of Biblical Errancy
https://www.pe.net/~bidstrup/bible2.htm


Mormonism / LDS Church

While Mormonism is not strictly classified as “Christian Fundamentalist,” its belief system does contain many of the aspects of standard fundamentalism. Mormon theology is based on beliefs that can not be empirically confirmed and contradict scientific explanations (mostly archaeology).  These aspects are found mostly in what Mormonism’s adherents believe to be their sacred scripture: The Book of Mormon, The Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants. As such I have included information on Mormonism here.

Produced by Jerry Seay
Last updated 12/8/00
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