Hunter
You are totally correct, about those Christians who consider themselves
Fundamentalists. It is a specific movement within Christianity (as you note),
but the term has been borrowed and is now often (most frequently) used more
generally.

A wonderful reminder, especially as we work around spirituality, religion and
faith, to be careful about words!!!

Thanks for the reminder.

PS. You are now on the listserve (group) Hunter. Welcome!

Stephen Kliewer. D.Min.
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine
Oregon Health and Science University

Phone: 541-426-4524
Cell: 541-398-0547
FAX 541-426-3035


Email: kliewers@...
>>> SRoskos@... 12/27/05 11:19 AM >>>
Thank you for your thoughts. This answer applies to a very specific
Christian phenomenon. I think that many use the term "fundamentalist" more
loosely. I will forward this to the group too.

Steven E. Roskos, MD
Department of Family Medicine
University of Tennessee - Knoxville
sroskos@...
865-544-9352, ext. 5059
Fax: 865-544-6532


-----Original Message-----
From: Hunter Woodall [mailto:Hunter.Woodall@...]
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 1:34 PM
To: Roskos, Steven E.
Subject: fundalmentalism

see response below- i am unalbe to send throught the group currently

while "fundamentalist" can be used as a demeaning and derogatory term just
as some folks brandish the word "liberal" ,
it can also be embraced by those who would describe themselves that way.

In the Christian West, fundamentalism arose as a response to Darwinism, Form
Criticism ( evaluating and analyzing the Bilbe as literature and not
necessarily as "word of God") and the increasing industrialization,
materialism and rationalism of the early twentieth century. ( see excerpts
below from the UVA library site--religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu)


Founder: No one person can be credited with founding Fundamentalism. Nor
does any single group comprise the history of the movement. The label
`Fundamentalist' is used as both an adjective and a noun. Accordingly,
trying to understand the phenomena requires more than knowing a few names
and dates. Curtis Lee Laws, editor of a conservative publication entitled
Watchman-Examiner is credited with coining the term "fundamentalism."


Origin of the Concept: The term `fundamentalism' has its origin in a series
of pamphlets published between 1910 and 1915. Entitled "The Fundamentals: A
Testimony to the Truth," these booklets were authored by leading evangelical
churchmen and were circulated free of charge among clergymen and
seminarians. By and large, fundamentalism was a response to the loss of
influence traditional revivalism experienced in America during the early
years of the twentieth century. This loss of influence, coupled with the
liberalizing trends of German biblical criticism and the encroachment of
Darwinian theories about the origin of the universe, prompted a response by
conservative churchmen. The result was the pamphlets. In 1920, a journalist
and Baptist layman named Curtis Lee Laws appropriated the term
`fundamentalist' as a designation for those who were ready "to do battle
royal for the Fundamentals."


Date of Birth: Second decade of the 20th century


Birth Place: The United States


Year Founded: Concept coined in 1920


Sacred or Revered Texts :

The Bible is the sacred text of the Christian Fundamentalists. Indeed, if
there is one single thing which binds Fundamentalists together, it is their
insistence that the Bible is to be understood as literally true. Further,
Fundamentalists see themselves as the guardians of the truth, usually to the
exclusion of others' interpretation of the Bible. Fundamentalism in other
faith traditions similarly proclaims guardianship of truth.

Size of Group: The size of this group depends on how fundamentalism is
defined. Conservatively estimated, there are at least 30 million Christian
fundamentalists in the U.S. alone. Fundamentalism stands with Pentecostalism
as the most successful religious movements of the 20th century.



When I hear the term used in today's news it is usually referring to any
faith group that uses a rigid imterpretation of sacred texts to justify
their position while discounting the faith of those that disagree. While
fundamentalists can turn to violence to promote their cause-- one could also
be quite fundamental about loving one's enemies and returning no one evil
for evil ....... Of course it is usually those who are willing to point
fingers, make bombs, wage war, etc that get most of the headlines....

GWISH is the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health
gwish.org

Shalom,

Woody Woodall



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