Christians Were Always Meant to Be Fundamentalists

Why the heart of fundamentalism is central to the Christian life

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” - Jesus of Nazareth

It’s likely that if you’re reading this, the word fundamentalist leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Depending on your range of experience, it can mean dry and boring faith all the way to damaging and corrupt religious practice. It reminds of a past legalistic & formulaic religion. A law-based spirituality which forces you into a fear and shame based obedience. As you read this, I want to invite you to rediscover this idea in a positive light.

Fundamentalism and Dune

A few months ago I was watching Dune 2. If you aren’t familiar with the series, the story centers around the Fremen, the native people of the planet Arrakis who have given into a radicalist prophecy that a messiah would come to deliver them. The narrative intends to warn against the dangers of messiah figures, whom people will put unwavering faith into to the point of global conquest. Despite the story serving to warn, I found myself enamored with how the Fremen are portrayed. There’s this powerful conviction and zealous spirituality that propels them to do anything for their people. They will spend their whole lives laboring unto a future vision they will never experience.

The Fremen people were certainly compared to a generalized version of ancient Middle Eastern people, and that’s exactly why they ebbed and flowed between dangerous evil and world-changing good. This is the narrative of the ancient Hebrews in scripture in their relationship to God—the edge between being a blessing to the nations or a disobedient, rebellious people.

Whenever I find myself attracted to a trope like this, where the intended narrative is negative, I ask myself what attributes are innately found in Jesus. What is it about this fundamentalist approach that is actually true about the Christian walk?

A Schism in the Western Church

Right now, the Western evangelical church is at odds with itself. Certainly, there are many schisms in the Western Church, but I want to touch on one specific one. There are many stepping away from the legalistic intensity of their previous leaders, but all the while an equal hunger for that powerful zeal we see in the early church. Some want an organic, grace-filled Jesus, and others want a martyred lifestyle filled with uncompromising faith. The contemplative prayer movement marks this desire for a slow and rich spirituality, while the missions movement wants to mobilize a dead-to-self powerful faith. This generalization is based on my own experience, but it’s definitely true if you pay close attention.

In this Fremen-trope, I see something I feel the church longs for. It’s Jesus’ words on discipleship. Taking up the plow never to look back, counting the cost, renouncing all you have. It’s Galatians 2, being crucified with Christ. “It’s not longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” This uncompromising, forward-moving surrender was always the only way to truly be a Christian.

Many, however, are afraid. There is a merited fear of becoming exactly what the Dune story warns against. A fear of becoming an emotionally violent Christian that tears down its earthly enemies. Like the lyrics of the song Rose by Oh Hellos

Wars are raising for her crusades to adore her.

In the West, many are hardened by a conquesting spirit. We don’t know how to follow Jesus in our culture without waging war. We either fall into the fight and raise our voices unto a verbal crusade, or we slink back into a dry, religious apathy. How do we move forward?

Jesus Fundamentalism

Christians were always meant to be fundamentalists. Fundamentalism, while commonly defined as a literal interpretation of scripture, is deeper. It means to strictly adhere to a set of principles, or the ‘fundamentals.’ The theology is clear. There is only one principle, one fundamental, and it is Jesus Christ. He is the Truth and the Law. We Christians are fundamentalists, and Jesus is our fundamental. We are to set our face like flint to His path. To be uncompromising in our obedience to Him.

What you hate about the word fundamentalism comes from the previous religious fundamentalism in Western Christianity. For them, their fundamental was not Jesus himself, but the laws and principles of scripture. Their driving force is pharisaical and formulaic. They strictly adhere to dead ethics. We are meant to strictly adhere to life itself. To a God-man. To quote this song again:

And no alchemic incantation
For a counterfeit salvation
Can appease your leviathan groom

No, love will get you slaughtered
Like a ram at the altar, but
What is safe ain’t the same as what is good

This Jesus-fundamentalism looks completely different. It’s Mother Theresa giving her life totally and fully to the poor. It’s John Allen Chau prayerfully approaching the North Sentinel Islands with a loving gift only to be shot dead. It’s my grandma, offering up prayers with all her heart for those around her. It’s being poor in spirit, listening before speaking, quietly praying, and loudly interceding. Weeping for injustices, anticipating the return of Christ, delivering people from demons, and meditating on scripture.

Real Christian Fundamentalism is militant in love. It will not compromise what is Biblical, and that ranges from sexual ethics to loving the poor and the foreigner. It is profoundly and intensely spiritual. Fundamentalism as a lifestyle will do whatever it takes to achieve the vision of its goal. While religious fundamentalism will do anything to conform its followers to robotic faith, true Christian fundamentalism will sacrifice whatever is necessary to love like Jesus and to declare His coming Kingdom.

Most non-Christians don’t have a problem with Jesus, they have a problem with religion. The actual life of Jesus is attractive to most people. The way he confronted injustice and pride, spoke in stories, dignified those he talked to, and taught equality. This Jesus is respected by the modern individual in the West. It’s the religious, pharisaical lifestyle that is vehemently and grossly rejected by our current culture.

For the Jesus-fundamentalist, zeal is expressed in love and truth. We are foolishly caring in our commitment to loving our neighbor, and equally firmly exclusive in that Jesus is the only way to God. To follow Jesus is a narrow gate. It is exclusive in truth, but inclusive in love. This is Christian fundamentalism. Sacrificial love and uncompromising truth have to hang in perfect balance. One without the other is an incomplete faith, and the ‘fundamental’ is lost.

This is your challenge to break into the true path of the Christian walk: Jesus-fundamentalism. The narrow gate is Himself, and He refuses to be boxed into your denomination or sect. He is the one who knows both good and bad, and the path to life. He is our fundamental.