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Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism. As American as apple pie. Where does it come from?. A set of 12 tracts published from 1910 – 1915 under the editorship of A. C. Dixon called “The Fundamentals.”. Fundamentalist theological beliefs:. Naïve literalism Biblical inerrancy 19 th century millenarianism.

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Fundamentalism

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  1. Fundamentalism As American as apple pie

  2. Where does it come from? • A set of 12 tracts published from 1910 – 1915 under the editorship of A. C. Dixon called “The Fundamentals.”

  3. Fundamentalist theological beliefs: • Naïve literalism • Biblical inerrancy • 19th century millenarianism

  4. Dispensational Millennialism • There are seven ages of human history – “dispensations.” • We live in the sixth age – the age of grace. • Soon this will end and we will enter a final period of tribulation – the millennium.

  5. The Rapture • The faithful would suddenly disappear at the start of the millennium. • It was important to calculated the date accurately from evidence in the Bible. • For this reason it was necessary to read the Bible literally.

  6. Sources of opposition to evolution • After WW I it seemed something had gone terribly wrong. • Social exclusion – the loss of the “old order.” • Shift from an agrarian society to an urbanized, industrialized society. • Less educated people were not able to follow the “higher criticism.”

  7. More trouble • High school textbooks were being written by NE elite intellectuals. • The remedy – ban the teaching of fundamentalism!

  8. The Scopes “Monkey Trial” • In 1925 Tennessee passed the Butler Act forbidding the teaching of evolution in public high school. • The ACLU was looking for a test case. John Scopes volunteered to be the plaintiff. Dayton was chosen for the trial. • All Hell broke loose.

  9. Inherit the Wind • Clarence Darrow, a famous (or infamous) trial lawyer was the defense attorney. • William Jennings Bryan was the attorney for the prosecution. • There was so much publicity that the courtroom threatened to collapse.

  10. Guilty! • Scopes was found guilty and fined $100. • The conviction was later overturned on a technicality. • The Butler laws stayed on the books until 1965 when the Supreme Court declared them unconstitutional.

  11. The “Equal Time” Strategy • A new strategy – equal time should be given for classroom instruction in evolution and “creation science.” • What’s that?

  12. The creationist taxonomy • General creationists: affirm only in a nonspecific way that God is the ultimate creator. • Special creationists: assign Him one or more “special” roles in creation.

  13. Special creationists • Progressive creationists: interpret the six days of Genesis allegorically. • Some view God’s actions as single or very few. • Others a large, perhaps infinite number of acts. • Strict creationists • One group adheres to the gap theory: a long epoch between the initial creation and the six days. • Young earth creationists reject geological time.

  14. Creation Science • Represents strict creationists, biblical literalists, generally of the young earth variety. • In 1987 the Supreme Court recognized creation science as a religious doctrine not a science. • Most major Christian denominations lined up with the Supreme Court on this issue. • “Intelligent design” is the latest creationist strategy.

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