Quotes describing the nature of original Fundamentalism:
"Militant theological conservatives, sensing that they were on the brink of losing control of some major denominations (especially the Northern Baptist and Northern Presbyterian) launched a fierce attack on the modernists. Beginning in 1920 the term 'fundamentalists' was used to describe the somewhat diverse cobelligerents in this antimodernist crusade. During this period the term 'fundamentalist' had a broad generic meaning roughly equivalent to militant conservative (for its friends) or belligerent reactionary (for its foes)."
The Evangelicals (rev. ed.), "From Fundamentalism top Evangelicalism: A Historical Analysis," by George M. Marsden, p. 146.
"The fundamentalists of 1875-1900 were very outspoken about the apostasy of their times and the sins from which Christians should separate." "The Early Days of American Fundamentalism," George Dollar,
Bibliotheca Sacra (V123, #490, Apr 66, 122)
"Harrington is eminently correct in his contention that “Fundamentalism was a militant religious conservatism.” In this he has struck a strong note of the entire movement, its attitude of militancy, opposition, exposing and attacking false teachings, and willingness to defend the faith. Fundamentalism has always been a defense as well as an attack on error. To early fundamentalists the truths they taught were God-given, more precious and more worthy to be defended than anything they knew. Weakness in defense was but a sure sign of weakness in conviction. For them the die was cast and they battled for the literal meaning of every word of the Word. They were sickened to see schools fail to indoctrinate young ministerial students and pupils manned by the untaught and unscriptural managers of ecclesiastical machines. Several paths were open to them (as are open today). They could have been silent and have allowed the decline to go unquestioned and unchecked. They could have compromised and engaged in dialogue with the critics, the humanists, and the evolutionists. They could have refused to be involved, stay sound themselves, and ignore the erosion around them. But these were not the paths of stout fundamentalists, then or now. They were set for the defense of the faith. They were good soldiers of Jesus Christ, not good sports of church picnics." George Dollar,
Bibliotheca Sacra (V123 #490, Apr 66, 120)
After quoting five non-Fundamentalist scholars, Fred Moritz writes, "Non-Fundamentalists commonly identify several traits of fundamentalism. They see the following: 1. An emphasis on the inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy and authority of the Bible. 2. An opposition to modernism. 3. An emphasis on separatism. 4. A belief in the premillennial return of Christ." Fred Moritz,
Contending for the Faith, 15.
"Since liberalism did not believe in the fact that Christ died in history to atone for the sins of men and women, and that this was the only basis for salvation, liberalism was really religious faith in man dressed up in Christian language and symbols. Thus, Machen explained, the only honest thing for the liberal to do would be to leave the churches which were founded on biblical truth." Francis Schaeffer,
The Great Evangelical Disaster, 73.
All of these scholars describe early Fundamentalism as seperatist.
