Can you explain the difference between an evangelical and a fundamentalist?
I know a lot of people will simply say, "Yes, I do," or some derivation thereof, but please feel free to explain the difference. I think most people focus so much on the overlap that we all tend to forget that they are two different groups.
And honestly, this is a legitimate question. I can answer the question historically and academically much better than I can in terms of the modern world and in terms of practical, day-to-day differences.
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Robin2012-04-25T09:38:10Z
FUndamentalist used to be a denomination within Christianity. That has mainly died out, though some adhere to the idea behind the word "sticking with the fundamentals of the belief". Every Evangelical I have ever met/talked to makes this claim, so the overlap is damn near absolutely consuming. They are not different groups anymore. They have combined into one group, especially in American politics.
The reason you can answer this historically and not in modern times is because there isn't much difference at all anymore. And the odd thing is, most Christians don't know anything about it, including many of the Evangelicals.
Theologically, they are much the same. Fundamentalist began as a response to liberalism in the 19th century which was denying the inspiration and authority of the bible and the supernatural aspects of the Christian faith. They defined themselves as believing in the inspired word of God, the virgin birth, the divinity of Christ, the atoning death of Christ, the bodily resurrection of Christ, and the future judgment and return of of Christ.
Evangelicals believe all of these things too - point for point. Over time, fundamentalist tended to become separatists as well and adopted many conservative cultural customs that they held to as tightly as their doctrinal distinctives. Evangelicals have not tended to have the emphasis on cultural matters and have tended to exhibit more of a spirit of liberty.
I think the people who actually are one or both of the two things you mentioned don't really call themselves either. Because I'm probably both, but I don't go by that. I call myself a born-again Bible believing follower of Jesus Christ, basically. I don't understand the difference, we're all grouped into both of them.