Church Matters: Retrieving the Great Tradition

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Chur ch Mat ter s : Ret r i ev i ng the Great Trad i t i on

What You Should Know about Christian History: AD 1906-1999, continued

5. Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969): Liberal Baptist pastor. His sermon “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” questioned the inerrancy of Scripture and the Virgin Birth. 6. Bob Pierce (1914-1978): Evangelical leader. Founder of World Vision and Samaritan’s Purse. 7. Hans Kung (1928-): Controversial Catholic theologian. In the late 1960s he questioned the extent of the pope’s power. His license to teach as a Catholic theologian was withdrawn in 1979. Four Terms You Should Know 1. Fundamentalists : Originally referred to people who accepted the five fundamental beliefs (see Chapter Eleven). By the 1950s the term referred to conservative Christians who focused on precise personal standards and on separation from every hint of liberalism. 2. Theological Liberals : Persons who altered Christian theology to fit the outlook of the Modern Age by separating Christian theology from traditional doctrines and biblical texts. 3. Evangelicals : Originally synonymous with “fundamentalists.” During the 1950s the term “evangelical” replaced “new [or, neo-] evangelical” as a description of believers who emphasized Christian unity, the unique authority of Scripture, salvation by grace through faith, and evangelism. 4. Post-Modernity : The world-view that arose at the end of the Modern Age. The Modern Age lasted from the late 1700s until the mid-1900s. Modernity stressed words, reason, and the material world. Post-modernity emphasizes personal experiences and the spiritual realm.