What Is “EXTREMISM”?

 

In these days one frequently hears and reads of “Extreme Fundamentalism,” “Extreme Protestantism”, the “Far Right,” and the like, as if such positions were evil and to be avoided as one would avoid disease.  But are they?

Fundamentalism is positive belief in the Bible as taught by Jesus Christ, by the Apostles, and by true men of God down the centuries.  It is fidelity to the historic Christian – the virgin birth of Christ, His deity, His atoning death, His resurrection from the grave and His coming back to earth again as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.

“Extreme” actually means beyond moderation.  Water, food and air to be absolutely pure must be extremely so, not moderately so.  You would not refuse a drink of water or a morsel of food because they were said to be “extremely pure,” would you?  Nor would you refuse to put your money in a bank that could boast of being “extremely safe,” not moderately safe.  Surely not.

Now apply these terms to the Bible, the fountain-head of true Christianity.  Until late years all Christian denominations and the great Christian scholars of past centuries believed and taught what is now claimed by many to be “extreme.”

The real extremist, actually, is the preacher, the theologian and others who have rejected the fundamentals of the Bible and of the historic Christian Church, and have taken refuge in man’s guesses (the hypothesis of evolution and speculative philosophy).

One writer has well said that “what is called `Extreme Fundamentalism’ or `Extreme Protestantism’ was the normal belief in his early manhood of his parents and churches.  That,” he says, “ought to be normal belief of evangelicals today.”

One can easily detect the emptiness and foolishness of such usage of the word “extreme” by applying to it honestly, virtue, correctness, truth purity, and the like.  One would hardly want to employ those who were moderately honest, moderately virtuous, moderately correct, moderately truthful, etc.                                                           -- COPIED