No doubt there was a lot to complain about concerning the Catholic Church and how the hierarchy was running the show in the 16th century. Martin Luther’s solution was to emphasize faith over works and a more literal interpretation of the Bible over Catholic traditions and doctrine. The idea was that in the beginning was a pure and unified church, and the Bible could help Christians get back to that golden era. But we now know that early Christianity was anything but pure and unified. Even the Bible indicates this. Many of Paul’s letters were written to chastise Christian communities he started because they had strayed from what he taught them. The four Gospels are distinct and have their own theological agendas. And there were other writings that expressed a broad range of attitudes and beliefs among the early Christians. These writings were suppressed by the emerging proto-orthodox movement. It’s these same self-described orthodox Christians who gave rise to the Orthodox Church in the East and the Roman Catholic Church in the West…with a great and mighty push from the Roman Empire in the 4th century. In a way, I think it’s ironic that Martin Luther wanted to get away from the Catholics and get back to “real” Christianity by placing so much emphasis on the Orthodox canon. It’s sort of like trying to get away from the American South by drinking sweet tea and watching reruns of the Andy Griffith Show.
The same things that led to the Reformation—the printing press, curiosity about the past and surviving artifacts and literature—led to greater scrutiny of the Bible, the process of translations, early Christianity and a more scientific worldview that was at odds with Luther’s exalted view of the Bible, and his literal reading of it.
In the late 19th century, some American Christians realized that modernity was threatening their conservative brand of Christianity, and they wrote a series of essays collectively called The Fundamentals. This new Christian fundamentalism claimed the Bible is inerrant, that it is literally true, that Jesus was divine, born of a virgin, died to pay the price for our sins as a substitute blood sacrifice, was physically resurrected and that he will return.
Many American LGBTs come from conservative evangelical and fundamentalist families. Many of them were seriously harmed. Many gave up their conservative beliefs. Many gave up on religion altogether. But some LGBTs and a few straight allies want to transform evangelical and fundamentalist Christianity just enough so that it is LGBT friendly.
I don’t like that idea. I think fundamentalism is rotten to the very core, and evangelicals are generally fundamentalist. I don’t think it would be a wonderful thing if not for the homophobia. It stinks through and through.
Fundamentalism leads to absolutism and intolerance for the beliefs and experiences of others. It leads to an arrogant attitude. Those who are “saved” interact with others who don’t share their beliefs with a kind of smugness. They supposedly know the “truth,” and you don’t. Evangelical Christian missionaries go to the poorest parts of the world with the primary purpose of “sharing the Gospel.” Tackling poverty and relieving suffering are only tangential concerns at best. Fundamentalism fosters a kind of modern colonial attitude. The missionaries don’t travel to Africa and Asia to learn anything from the locals because they don’t think they have anything to learn. According to their religion, they already know everything that’s important. Fundamentalism leads to a disdain for science and learning. This is especially tragic considering a large number of poor people in this country are fundamentalist or are influenced by fundamentalism, and education is key to getting them and their children out of poverty. If you believe the Bible is inerrant and literally true, then escaping the sexism, the racism, the xenophobia and the homophobia found in the Bible becomes all the more difficult. And if the Bible does have any spiritual value, what if concretizing the mythology robs it of that value? Fundamentalism is a methodology imposed on Christianity and the Bible. It isn’t inherent to Christianity or the Bible.
I was born in West Virginia, and I spent most of my life there. West Virginia, especially southern West Virginia, is steeped in fundamentalism. The effect on this gay boy was hugely negative, but aside from that, I saw how fundamentalism helped to keep the population stuck in the status quo. Many aren’t interested in looking beyond their culture for ideas that might improve their lives. Quite a few who are barely literate and have little education, go around quoting the Bible out of context and pontificating about things they don’t understand. By and large, the friends, family and neighbors of such annoying people indulge them and actually believe they are fonts of wisdom.
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