“Fundamentalist” is often wielded as an insult to conservative evangelical Christians, but how should Christians respond to its use? Should we reject the term? Redefine the term? Wear it as a badge of honor, as some do?
The word “fundamentalism” is a snapshot of American Christianity’s complex history and a lesson all believers can learn from.
What Is the Definition of a Fundamentalist?
Merriam-Webster defines fundamentalism as “a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles.” Thus, in its broadest sense, fundamentalism is more of a mindset than a set of beliefs. Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and other groups can all fall into a fundamentalist mindset.
Still, when most Americans hear the word “fundamentalist,” they think of Christians. And they aren’t wrong to do so—the term “fundamentalism,” as many use it today, did originate in American Christianity.
As believers, we have a responsibility to understand this part of fundamentalism’s past so we can better respond to fundamentalism in the present.
What is Christian Fundamentalism?
At the turn of the twentieth century, theological modernism rose in America. This form of theology asserted that much of the Bible was mythological. Theological modernists proposed many theories to “de-mythologize” miraculous events in Scripture. Theologians like Rudolf Bultmann redefined the Bible’s miracle accounts as symbolic illustrations of theology rather than historical events. Even the resurrection of Jesus was considered a symbolic concept rather than a physical reality.
This modernist “Christianity” caused great fear within the church. Was Christianity being watered down into something unrecognizable? In response, many Christians united in affirming the “fundamentals of the Christian faith.” The five widely accepted fundamentals were Biblical inerrancy, the virgin birth, the divinity of Jesus, Jesus’s resurrection, and Jesus’s second coming.
Christian fundamentalism became an interdenominational movement, encouraging Christians to stand firm in orthodox Christian beliefs. However, the fundamentalism movement didn’t stop there.
In the 1920s, some fundamentalists began using the word “culture war” to reflect this conflict between traditional American Christian belief and modern secular culture. In time, fundamentalism stopped being solely about the fundamentals of the faith. Its definition broadened to defend traditional American values—something far less Biblically grounded and far more open to interpretation.
Which movies are acceptable for Christians to watch? What clothing is acceptable for Christians to wear? Should Christians follow the Sabbath, and if so, how? How should Christians navigate politics?
These questions are relevant questions for Christians to ask. However, many fundamentalists began preaching their positions on these issues with the same uncompromising boldness that they preached the gospel itself. This mindset created a fundamentalist subculture with some problematic traits.
Many of these traits also worked their way into the evangelical movement, which started in the 1950s. Early evangelicals like Billy Graham called themselves evangelicals to show they were more open to mainstream culture and intellectual discussion than the fundamentalists. However, the two movements inform and affect each other, sometimes mixing together. Christians may think they’re one when their behavior is closer to the other. So, even if you don’t have fundamentalist friends or family members, understanding fundamentalist traits will help you consider unhealthy behaviors you’ve seen.
What are the Traits of a Christian Fundamentalist?
Let's look at the key markers, beliefs, and characteristics of Christian Fundamentalism today:
Rigid Interpretation
For Christian fundamentalists, “The Bible says it. I believe it. That settles it” is a famous refrain. The phrase isn’t strictly wrong. All Christians should hold to the authority of God’s Word. However, the phrase often encourages rigid—and reckless—interpretations.
Context is critical for interpreting Scripture. Much of that context should be obvious, such as surrounding verses and references to other Biblical books. Some of that context is less obvious, such as the nuance of the original language or the writer’s cultural context. Each reader also brings in their own context—our own beliefs, biases, and assumptions that can twist our understanding of the text.
Claiming “The Bible says it” without considering context has consequences.
For instance, in Matthew 6:25, Jesus says, “do not worry.” Some Christians have interpreted this to mean that anxiety is a sin, and the solution for anxious Christians is to stop sinning. After all, Jesus said it, I believe it, and that settles it!
This interpretation disregards the context of Matthew 6:25-34. Jesus’s main point is not to condemn worry and doubt as sinful. Instead, he reminds us that God cares even for the sparrows and will surely take care of us. Jesus encourages us to face our troubles one day at a time. He aims to reduce anxiety by reminding us of God’s love and care for us.
In this example, the rigid interpretation claims to value Scripture highly, yet it offers little engagement with the passage. As a result, it misrepresents Scripture and harms its hearers—leading to more anxiety, not less.
Fundamentalism has a reputation for making such errors. Despite its high values of truth and morality, fundamentalism often views questions as a sign of doubt and unfaithfulness rather than a desire to understand.
Legalism in Christian Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism was built on the concept of fundamentals—an essential doctrine for all Christians. However, fundamentalism today is often critiqued for treating unessential doctrines with the same gravitas. In many ways, fundamentalists are like the Pharisees of Jesus’s day.
The Pharisees sought to obey God’s Word to the letter but struggled with the gray areas. How far could someone walk on the Sabbath before it was considered work? How much could someone carry before it was considered work? Scripture didn’t say.
To remedy this problem, the Pharisees wrote additional laws to “fence in” the Sabbath laws and ensure no one got close to breaking them. Fundamentalists often use this same “fencing in” approach. For instance:
- Hollywood often promotes non-Christian values and influences children to sin. Therefore, Christian families should avoid mainstream movies entirely.
- Wearing tight clothing or showing too much skin is immodest. Therefore, requiring women to wear full-length skirts should ensure that line isn’t crossed.
- Drunkenness is wrong, so alcohol should be illegal—that way, no one will get drunk.
Just like the Pharisees’ rules, these fundamentalist rules do little about the human heart. Sheltering children can backfire, making children increasingly curious about what they’re missing. No matter how many clothes people wear, lust and adultery can still take root. Substance abuse can still ruin lives, legally or otherwise.
Rules—no matter how wise they are—cannot change hearts, and changed hearts are what Christianity is all about. Ironically, as fundamentalism added more rules, it obscured the very fundamentals it claimed to protect.
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.” (Matthew 23:23-24, NIV)
Isolationism in Christian Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism puts a high value on not being “of the world.” Thus, fundamentalist families often isolate from mainstream culture and anything considered a worldly influence.
Rather than teaching children how to engage with people who hold different beliefs, fundamentalist parents shelter their children from contact with those beliefs. As kids age, they often become frustrated with their parents’ harsh restrictions and slip outside those boundaries. Once outside, they discover many of their parents’ fears are exaggerated, undermining their trust in their parents’ judgment.
As they experience non-Christians firsthand, they are given much more persuasive pitches for those beliefs than they’d ever heard before. Lacking healthy practices for navigating such challenges to their faith, they often abandon Christianity entirely.
Militant Christian Fundamentalists
In its early years, fundamentalism steered clear of politics, viewing it as an immoral and worldly realm. By the late 1970s, though, fundamentalism’s culture war had expanded to the political front. That us-versus-them “warfare” mentality had devastating consequences.
For instance, as the AIDS epidemic spread in the 1980s, many fundamentalists rejoiced that gay men were dying. Rather than seeing these people as souls for whom Christ died, they saw them as enemies standing in their way.
To many fundamentalists, winning hearts became less important than winning power. After all, liberal enemies would use that power to spread their own agenda and persecute believers. The only way to oppose that was by taking that power first. This was war—and for some fearful fundamentalists, the ends justified the means.
Jesus declared that his kingdom was “not of this world” and explicitly denounced advancing his kingdom through violence (John 18:36). In contrast, many fundamentalists believe that God’s Kingdom is America and that this kingdom is built through political power.
This has changed American Christianity’s public image. Sadly, many unbelievers’ perceptions of Christians are shaped more by the January 6 riots than the gospel.
Authoritarian Leadership
Fundamentalism encourages respect towards elders, pastors, and husbands. This respect can be a good thing. After all, Hebrews 13:17, Leviticus 19:32, Romans 13:1-7, and many other verses emphasize the importance of respecting authority. However, fundamentalism’s fear of outside influences risks making its leadership hierarchical, authoritarian, and toxic.
Questioning a fundamentalist leader’s interpretation of the Bible is sometimes viewed as questioning the Bible itself. Raising concerns about a leader’s character is sometimes viewed as an attack on the church or the marriage. This creates a culture where fear and abuse can thrive.
What Motivates Someone to Become a Fundamentalist?
If fundamentalism has many problems, why are so many Christians drawn to it?
For many people, rules are comforting. Being confident in what you believe and how you live creates a sense of stability. Being told God approves is even more reassuring.
Fundamentalism makes bold, absolute truth claims on many, many subjects. There isn’t room for doubt or questions. To many, that’s a good thing. Interacting with viewpoints and information that challenges our assumptions is uncomfortable. Being able to avoid that discomfort because we are “faithful” is reassuring.
Fundamentalism is grounded in close-knit communities. Its us-versus-them mindset may be problematic, but it’s also unifying. Knowing that you’re standing arm in arm with your community against the powers of the outside world is a good feeling. No matter how disliked you may be outside of that community, you’re a part of something important there.
People struggling with fear, trauma, or loneliness have a particular hunger for the confidence, stability, and community that fundamentalism offers. But this isn’t all. Many simply believe that fundamentalism is the most faithful representation of God’s Word. Fortunately, this same love of God’s Word that leads many into fundamentalism can also lead them out of it.
Can We Help Someone Who’s Become a Fundamentalist?
Many of us have friends influenced by strict or dubious fundamentalist teachings. Maybe they were raised in fundamentalism, or maybe they’ve been drawn to it in recent years. How can we, as concerned Christian friends, influence them for the better?
First, don’t assume you understand what your friend believes and why. Fundamentalism, for all its strictness, encompasses a wide variety of beliefs. Your friend is an individual—not merely a generic “fundamentalist.” Take the time to ask questions and learn to understand where your friend is coming from. You don’t know what your friend may be going through or how difficult it may be for them to leave their fundamentalist circle.
Second, rely on God’s Word. Complaining that your friend is “too strict” won’t challenge the heart of their beliefs. However, reading through and discussing Matthew 23 or Luke 6:1-11 might. Fundamentalism, for all its faults, has a high view of God’s Word. That’s the perfect common ground for conversation.
Finally, pray—not as an alternative to a conversation, but in preparation for it. Pray that God will prepare your friend’s heart for change. Pray that God will show you the words to say. And pray that God would free your friend from the fear, legalism, and anger that often burdens fundamentalists.
Most importantly, pray that they would know God’s love—and show it to them.
Fundamentalism is not an easy topic, but it’s well worth taking the time to understand. Next time you hear the word “fundamentalist” thrown out as an insult, consider the people behind that term. They may believe in an us-versus-them world, but that doesn’t mean we must treat them the same. They are still brothers and sisters for whom Christ died.
Photo Credit: Getty Images/mikvivi
