Category Archives: fundamentalism

How the Bible Actually Works by Peter Enns: a Book Review

For me, this is perhaps one of the best books I have ever read—and I have read a LOT of books! On page 4, Pete sets the stage by stating that the Bible is not a divine instruction manual or … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, Bible, book or movie review, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, God, inerrancy, Old Testament | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 50 Comments

Blaming Paul for Things He Never Said

When I was a teenager, I listened to some fundamentalist preachers talking among themselves. One asserted that he believed Hebrews was written by Paul! I am sure the other preachers agreed. I was not well-read, but I was aware that … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, fundamentalism, inerrancy, New Testament, Paul | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 69 Comments

More about Progressive Christians and How to Connect with Them

Last time we talked about who progressive Christians are and some things they tend to believe. High on the list of what most of them do NOT believe are harmful doctrines like angry god, inerrancy, hell, legalism, penal substitution, homophobia, … Continue reading

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Posted in behavior, doubt, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, Jesus, love | Tagged , , , | 57 Comments

What is a Progressive Christian?

When I began my journey out of fundamentalism, I had no one to assist me. But neither did anyone try to ‘lead me astray’—I did that on my own. I began questioning beliefs I had been taught in a somewhat … Continue reading

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Posted in doubt, evangelicalism, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , | 63 Comments

Two Significant Homeschooling Sites

In the last few articles, we have discussed various aspects of homeschooling. For those interested, there are a couple of very significant websites that provide a lot of information and insight from homeschool alumni. The first is the Coalition for … Continue reading

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Posted in fundamentalism | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child?

Michael and Debi Pearl’s parenting book, To Train Up a Child, is very popular among American fundamentalists. Michael has given great thought to his ideas on child-training and expresses them well. He also shares some good insights on child-parent relationships, … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, behavior, book or movie review, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Child Abuse in Fundamentalist Parenting Practices

Last time, we talked about patterns of extreme child abuse in some very isolated families. However, a different level of child abuse exists among typical fundamentalists. Rather than criminal abuse, however, this abuse is centered around parenting practices promoted by several … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, book or movie review, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , | 81 Comments

Some Use Homeschooling as a Cover for Extreme Child Abuse

There seem to be constant stories in the news of extreme criminal child abuse. It is sickening, and these stories are far too common. These victims are children who do not attend public school and whose parents claim to be … Continue reading

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Posted in fundamentalism, persecution | Tagged , , , , | 53 Comments

4 Tremendously Serious Problems within the Fundamentalist Homeschooling Movement

Let me begin by saying that I do not oppose homeschooling. One of my best friends homeschooled his son, and that son was among the most broadly educated children I have ever known. A lot of this had to do … Continue reading

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Posted in creationism, evolution, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , | 51 Comments

Dealing with the Confusion, Grief, and Existential Chaos of Leaving Fundamentalism or Traditional Evangelicalism

If you are questioning beliefs you were taught in fundamentalism or evangelicalism, your journey might be going smoothly or it might involve a lot of fear and uncertainty. It is not easy challenging beliefs we once deeply held. Over a … Continue reading

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Posted in Bible, evangelicalism, fear, fundamentalism, inerrancy, Jesus, Paul | Tagged , | 83 Comments

There are Clearly Two Large Groups of Believers Who Differ on Basic Beliefs; How Do We Best Define Them?

It is no secret that there are two large groups of believers who see the Bible differently and are frequently at odds over what constitutes its essence and how we should respond to it. Discussion between the two groups can … Continue reading

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Posted in Bible, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, inerrancy | Tagged , , , | 175 Comments

For My Inerrantist Friends: Why Appeals to Inerrancy are Totally Ineffective in Discussion

Frequently, I receive comments from those who disagree with me—and this is as it should be! I enjoy dialog with those who disagree with me because I never learn anything if I only talk with people who already agree! However, … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, Bible, doubt, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, inerrancy, Old Testament | Tagged , , , | 91 Comments

Why Progressive Believers and Fundamentalist Believers Disagree on So Many Important Beliefs

Progressive and fundamentalist believers don’t disagree on two or three beliefs—or even five or six. They disagree on a host of important beliefs. Why would this be? It is because Fundamentalist believers hold to a single foundational assumption that deeply … Continue reading

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Posted in Bible, fundamentalism, inerrancy | Tagged , , , , | 110 Comments

Why Call Out Fundamentalist Views: Isn’t Everyone Entitled to Their Own Opinion?

Yes, everyone IS entitled to their own opinions (beliefs)—but not all opinions are equally valid (think ‘flat earth’), and some are very, very harmful. We could simply ignore our disagreement with harmful fundamentalist views, but that would leave potentially new fundamentalists … Continue reading

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Posted in baggage, evangelicalism, fundamentalism | Tagged | 140 Comments

Complementarian Patriarchy and Fundamentalist Patriarchy are Both Harmful; But How are They Different?

Christian patriarchy is a misguided belief with very harmful consequences. But there are some who embrace Christian patriarchy who prefer the term ‘complementarianism’ instead of ‘patriarchy’; it sounds more gentle and also helps to disassociate them from the more extreme … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , , , | 30 Comments

Examining Passages from Genesis Used to Support Patriarchy in the Church

Last time, we discussed biblical passages from the New Testament epistles used to support Christian patriarchy; today we will look at passages from the first chapters of Genesis. I chose these passages because they are specifically referenced in the 1988 … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, behavior, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, Paul | Tagged , , , , | 22 Comments

The Alleged Biblical Basis for Christian Patriarchy

Untold numbers of Christians believe women are not equal to men and are subject to male leadership. This very harmful belief leads to terrible consequences such as the oppression and denigration of women and to an environment of physical, emotional, … Continue reading

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Posted in authority, behavior, fundamentalism, inerrancy, legalism, Paul | Tagged , , , , , | 34 Comments

How Waiting for Power to be Restored from Hurricane Irma is Similar and Dissimilar to Waiting for the ‘Rapture’

When I was a fundamentalist, an important element of my life was waiting for the ‘rapture’. We expected Jesus’ any moment return and it would be a joyous moment for us! We sang songs about it, preachers preached about it, … Continue reading

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Posted in fundamentalism | Tagged , , | 22 Comments

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding: The Fear of Thinking in Fundamentalism

If you have ever questioned what you were taught by conservative churches, I am sure you experienced a certain amount of fear and trepidation in doing so. This fear is built into the conservative Christian culture and is constantly reinforced … Continue reading

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Posted in Bible, doubt, fear, fundamentalism | Tagged , , , | 94 Comments

Evolution and Original Sin: How Calvin’s TULIP Falls Apart

Genesis 2-3 tells the story of Adam and Eve with a focus on their ‘fall’ from innocence by the disobedience of eating the forbidden fruit. We discussed last time why we should not take this story as an historical narrative; … Continue reading

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Posted in atonement, evolution, fundamentalism, original sin | Tagged , , , , , , , | 48 Comments