Essential vs. Peripheral Doctrine
Excerpt:
... the adherents to Dr. Ketchum’s form of “Fundamentalism” have been duped into embracing a largely phony spirituality that weighs a person down with personal preference convictions that masquerade as genuine holiness.
Additionally, individuals who practice his “Fundamentalism” have created an imaginary “concentration camp” of sorts that is governed by pastoral strong men who rule over souls with an iron fist insisting folks adopt and work out every one of those preference issues or face the severe displeasure of God almighty.
Ultimately, this view of sanctification leads the practitioner to paranoid despair, because it is believed that if a person doesn’t read the KJV 1611, or dress a certain way, or spend every moment of free-time attending church, or listens to any “unapproved” preachers, or reads any “banned” authors, etc, God will scowl down at him from heaven and the person risks a nasty smiting or a severe divine wedgie.
... Thankfully, there are others, however, who realize Dr. Ketchum’s view of “Fundamentalism” doesn’t truly reflect biblical “Fundamentalism” and so they strike out to where they can find true solace in the teaching and preaching of sound men. They have a lot of detox to go through in order to retrain their minds for thinking rightly, but God graciously helps them.Comment: I find the Essential vs. Peripheral Doctrine (chart from the ESV study Bible) very helpful. Often times fundementalist pastors make the peripheral, essential.
As the owner of a 1611 with Roman font instead of the old fraktur/Gothic, I would love to see if most "KJV only" pastors could read it fluently. My guess is "no."
ReplyDeleteAnd it's hideous when people add to Biblical fundamentals, to put it mildly. As the writer notes, it does produce theological concentration camps. I rejoice that I escaped from Stalag 13 before it really hurt my kids.