Dr. H. T. Spence

F.D. Editor: The following item is an excerpt by Dr. H. T. Spence from a chapter entitled "Fundamentacide" in his book Crucial Truths for Crucial Days—[Volume One]. In this editor's opinion, it accurately and aptly analyses some unwholesome changes occurring within the professing Fundamentalist movement. It is the writer's hope that readers will thoughtfully ponder these dangerous modifications, and to actively resist these alterations via proper procedures, if they discover them operative within the framework of their own Fundamentalist entities [local churches, educational institutions, etc.,]

"For several years the term Separatist has been slowly but surely leaving the Fundamentalist movement. For many decades the terms Separatist and Fundamentalist were synonymous within the movement. When the Neo-Evangelicals left the Fundamentalist movement in the latter part of the 1940's, they set out to intimidate the separatist position. In recent years the Neo crowd has been pounding away at this part of the Fundamentalist foundation.

Sadly, it must be acknowledged now that many in the Fundamentalist today have become Neo-Evangelical in heart. Perhaps this happened because of their secret attractions to the expositional preaching of the Neo-Evangelical; perhaps it is because of the popularity of the Neo-Evangelicals; perhaps they secretly have been listening to their music; perhaps they have become friends with them; perhaps it is because they have become tired of the battle. Nevertheless, the symptoms of Fundamentacide are evident. The stark reality is that Fundamentacide is a killing from within.

Let us note the progress of this slow killing that is taking place publicly. First, there is the growing dislike for the Separatist principle. This term has left the pulpit; it has been removed from dress standards of churches and schools. Sports have now been made intercollegiate with many questionable schools participating in seminars, special classes and various conferences.

Either such guests have become more separatist or the ones inviting them have compromised their own standards to bridge the gulf between the two. There is one thing that must be acknowledged about the Neo-Evangelicals: they left the Fundamentalist movement rather than stay in and try to subtly redefine Fundamentalism as we are now witnessing today by a prominent number of leaders.

Secondly, it has been the Neo crowd that has paved the way in the guise of scholarship to introduce multi-versions of the Bible to the Evangelical world. They are the ones who made the NIV the most purchased Bible over the past two years. Now many in the Fundamentalist camp are joining the Neo-Evangelical multi-version emphasis; it truly has become the next step for the crossover.

Thirdly, Christian universities are contracting Neo-Evangelicals and Charismatics to write the music for Fundamentalism. We have had to hire the enemy to write the music for us. This is making the crossover to Neo-Evangelicalism easier for the people. Yes, the killing is slow but sure [Ed: The compromise here is truly heart-breaking, since it is being done secretly, undercover, without general knowledge of this fact.]

The final ingredient has been to take the very term itself, Fundamentalism, and begin to mock it just as we have heard the intimidation leveled against the Authorized Version. We are now hearing the rumblings of a need to rid our legacy of the term Fundamentalist under the pretense of our name being misunderstood by the world.

Why not clarify the term before the world rather than discard the term as if it is no longer usable? Men have fought the Neo's under this banner for over a century. Is this our final change to sever the past? No doubt, there are all kinds of ingenious, pragmatic reasons that could be given to discard the term Fundamentalist, just as there have been to discard the Authorized Version.

Presently, what are the differences between Neo-Evangelicalism and contemporary Fundamentalism? When will the final deathblow be given to Fundamentalism? Will heaven rejoice and be thankful for the changes, or will heaven turn its back upon us? Once a man leaves truth, he will even believe the changes he initiates are of God? It is part of the delusion from God upon those who have lost their love for truth. What brings the greatest sadness is that the movement will not be destroyed from without. Fundamentacide will be the work of 'mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, [and who] hath lifted up his heel against me.' (Ps. 41:9).

God raised up a remnant over these years that lifted up their voices to warn us. Their pens unveiled the subtle changes taking place. Will we now call them troublemakers? Will we stand aloof from them because they have been strongly persecuted by the changers who are boldly stepping forward?

It is time for preachers, musicians, missionaries, teachers and laymen to rise up and declare with honorable hearts, 'We have gone too far in our changes! If we want to spiritually survive with God's favor, we must return to the heart and spirit of our legacy! Oh God send us a mighty soul-shaking revival that will bring repentance for what we have done and are doing!’ May we say as Naboth said to Ahab, 'The Lord forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee' (I Kings 21:3).

The true spirit of the Fundamentalist will never die in the hearts of the remnant, even if the public face of the movement dies. God may be using the present distress within Fundamentalism to manifest all hearts. And those who have desired to leave the legacy will do so and coin another term, as the Neo-Evangelicals did.

Yet, we plead for churches and institutions of learning from becoming an instrument to bring about public Fundamentacide of this great legacy. May our Lord have mercy on the last bastion against the Apostasy: the Fundamentalist movement." Note: Headings were added by the F.D. editor

October-November 2006 The Fundamentalist Digest. Permission granted for reprint, so long as proper credit is given. The above item is a sample of the numerous timely articles that are contained in the bi-monthly issues of The Fundamentalist Digest.