- Liberal Theologians Stand above the Bible
- Neoorthodox Theologians Stand before the Bible
- Traditionalists Place Traditions/Confessions alongside the Bible
- Fundamentalists Stand on the Bible
- Evangelicals Stand under the Bible
In the same manner, we could ask if it is genuinely fair to say that Evangelicals are normally postured under the Bible. Well, in the case of Evangelical Feminism, Marny Köstenberger adequately shows that some Evangelicals have strayed from standing under the Bible. In some cases it is apparent that some Evangelicals have postured themselves above or selectively apart from the Bible. In a sense, Köstenberger, having sought to submit to the Bible's countercultural teaching, is here standing on the Bible's teaching as authoritative and corrective of erroneous doctrine.
Liberals call Evangelicals "Fundamentalists." Most Evangelicals do not want to be labeled "Fundamentalist." Some Fundamentalists decry some Evangelicals as "Liberals." Some Fundamentalists avoid anything that smacks of Evangelicalism. Other Fundamentalists disdain the stereotype that is attached to their own label and seek to distinguish themselves from other Fundamentalists. And on, and on it goes. Surely, we all will agree that labels are reductionistic by nature; but, nevertheless, labels are useful. In general terms, I find Waltke's distinctions to be satisfying.
Margaret Elizabeth Köstenberger, Jesus and the Feminists: Who Do They Say That He Is? Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books, 2008. Softcover, 253 pages. $19.99[Crossway | WTS | Amazon | CBD]
In reading Köstenberger's Jesus and the Feminists, I noticed that she also finds it necessary to make a distinct clarification along these lines. The concluding section of chapter 2 (What's At Stake: "It's Hermeneutics!") strikes a distinction between Evangelicalism and Fundamentalism. She writes:
Some are dismissing an evangelical approach to Scripture out of hand for illegitimate reasons. For example, conservative evangelical Christians may at times find themselves confronted with the label "fundamentalist," and their conservative viewpoint on gender issues gets rejected without further discussion. But there is quite a difference between fundamentalism and a conservative evangelical reading of Scripture. Fundamentalism often tends toward a narrow-minded approach to Scripture. It at times may impose systematized doctrine onto the text and tend toward legalism. It is also often characterized by simplistic thinking. Some have even used the Bible in the past to justify such terrible things as slavery and racism. (35)Let me repeat a part of the last quote from the previous post.
We must take our place in a stance of submission to God's Word, putting ourselves beneath it rather than sitting in critical judgment over it. (220)My first reaction to this was: Ouch! These are stinging words. Granted, this is not true all of the time, nor necessarily most of the time. However, as Köstenberger states the case, "Fundamentalism often tends toward" (emphasis mine) this erroneous posture. Sure, there is a place for militancy, but never without a sense of humility that keeps us submitted to the Scriptures.
Besides, Köstenberger is clearly bringing up this issue and these negative characterizations in order to argue that the position for which she is arguing is not the fruit of narrow-mindedness, the imposition of a particular system of theology, legalism, simplistic thinking, or an attempt to justify heinous abuses. Rather, she has written this book to show that the disunity of interpretations amongst the Feminists must cause them to realize that they, themselves, have interpreted the Scriptures too narrow-mindedly and have imposed upon the texts their own systematic agenda.
Hi Jason
ReplyDeleteFrom my conversations with Pastor Minnick last summer, I get the impression that a lot of Evangelicals really have no idea who or what the Fundamentalists are. They only have their own 'in-house' stereotypes. All stereotypes hit the mark in a sense, but invariably fail to describe the true state of anyone.
It probably behooves us to be somewhat careful in our own descriptions of the "other side", whichever "other" we happen to be talking about at the moment.
Maranatha!
Don Johnson
Jer 33.3
I know the conversation you're speaking of. I think that part of the problem is that evangelicals have little to no reason to know anything other than the stereotypical fundamentalist. The Fundamentalists who should be defined most generally as "standing under the Bible", rather than "narrow-mindedly standing on the Bible" are few and very far between. Even in these groups there is ridiculous isolation and lack of support for those who don't dot their "i's" and cross their "t's" in the same traditional, independent, separatist, fundamentalistic ways.
ReplyDeleteExamples: Bible versions, Calvinism, eschatological positions, associations with friends-of-friends-of-friends, social interests, dress codes, hair styles, slight music differences, just to name a few.
We have moved to a new place and have decided against joining any fundamentalist church, in part, because they all are stuck on a number of the above mentioned issues (esp. the first). I don't want my children to be brought up in that. Some people have asked us about where we are worshiping and the first question they ask is in regard to the music style. That is a concern, and the church we are attending is very conservative and tradition in its services. This certainly wasn't our first concern!
We're out of town for the holiday and I attended a fundamentalist church this morning in order to visit with some family. The pastor mentioned that his sermon was an attempt to choose a text from the Epistles of John because the church family had read these letters in the previous week as a part of their scheduled Bible reading. Of all the glorious things he could have preached upon, he spoke on the Antichrist from 1 John 2:18-20. We were told that we don't know if the Antichrist is alive today, but if he is, it is possible I could have sat next to him on a plane and not have known it. Sorry, but there are a number of other texts I would have chosen to edify my flock. (Yes, the pre-tribulation rapture was mentioned. Sigh!) Why are fundamentalists so caught up with the most mysterious and unclear portions of eschatology? There is so much more that is fundamental and edifying when it comes to eschatology!
As has been mentioned, the historic, core values of fundamentalism are good: fundamental doctrines of the faith, vibrant worship, and strong opposition to blatant error. The "movement" has gone way beyond those initial tenets. In some respects, some evangelicals are more closely aligned with these tenets.
Even in fundamentalism's "better" circles, a little more submission to the Word and a lot less standing on it in judgment over others is very much needed. Most of the fundamentalist leaders whom I know are so far separated from good people that they are no where near the battlefield against Liberalism anymore. Instead they are assuming who might be a Liberal and fighting against "those heretics who meet in the mainstream church down the road." At times we're not criticizing anyone in particular, just anyone other than "us."
I don't have it all figured out, and I'm willing to be corrected.
Maybe I've said too much.
I'm about half way through Jesus and the Feminists and find Margaret Kostenberger to be a breath of fresh air.
ReplyDeleteThe other day I was talking to a woman I know who shy's away from all things "feminism", but who was saying things very much in line with egalitarianism. So I brought up 1 Tim. 2:11-15 (a verse I had not delved into yet) and asked her what she thought of this passage. Immediately (and defensively) she declared "you're wrong. You're interpreting it wrong" and later "Paul's wrong". She said all of this before I even gave my opinion.
I see myself as a well read well balanced Evangelical. But I get treated often like a Fundamentalists from my feminists (non-feminists) friends and like a Liberal from my KJOnly friends. So the comments and most above resonate well with me.
Glad you're enjoying the book. It's amazing how much our people have adopted many of the feminist perspectives without realizing it. Nor do many understanding the problems associated with them. I found this book to be very readable, fair and well documented. I appreciate M. Kostenberger's help with this issue.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading and sharing your comments!