Fundamentalism and the Church: Theological Crisis for Mainline Protestants

Abstract

Neo-Fundamentalism is evidence of the theological disarray of mainline churches. While it is itself partly a reaction to humanism, like humanism it denies God's Godness. Specifically, fundamentalist readings of the Bible deny God's freedom by boxing God into pre-determined schema, making God the redeemer of its own in-group. An appropriate response to fundamentalism is the canonical hermeneutic of theocentric monotheism, faithful to the spirit of Calvin, who struggled against the idols of luck and determinism in the sixteenth century to affirm the sovereignty of the one free God of both judgment and grace. In practice, the churches must learn to theologize first-ask what God is doing; then moralize-ask what we are called to do, identifying all along with those challenged by the prophets and Jesus rather than presuming to stand with the prophets and Jesus. In this way, the church might become a "church expectant," open to both God's judgment and grace.