PAPER 2 – THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM

PRESENTED TO
PROFESSOR MARK NICKENS

FOR

CHHI 302 – DO1

BY
REV. JOSEPH T. WHITAKER, III
LU23755920
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
LYNCHBURG VIRGINIA

NOVEMBER 19, 2014

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
THE RISE OF FUNDAMENTALISM --------------------------------------------------------------------
THE CHRISTIAN REACTION TO DARWINISM AND OTHER SCIENTIFIC THEORIES—
THE RISE OF HIGHER CRITICISM OF THE …show more content…

The unfortunate introduction of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution created an intellectual crisis in the educated Christian community. The claims of Charles Darwin, that were in direct conflict with the statements of Scripture concerning the origin of life, created a damaging confusion that shook the very foundation of biblical Christianity, resulting in major spits within the Christian Church. Intellectual Christians became embroiled in heated debates. Particularly difficult was when Protestant leaders began to split on the proper Christian understanding of Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theory of evolution. For liberals, the Bible’s description of Creation in the book of Genesis was figurative and hence not incompatible with Darwin’s theory. For conservatives, Darwin’s ideas replaced God’s divine plan with random chance and human will. While liberal Protestant theologians like Walter Rauschenbusch (1861-1918) moved toward pluralism and social justice, conservatives like Lyman Stewart (1840-1923) focused on biblical literalism. For conservatives, and over-reliance on the authority of secular science was resulting in a worldwide decline in morals, rapant materialism, and growing militarism…The well known Presbyterian politician William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) launched his now famous campaign against the teaching of evolution in schools…he brought the theological