Recovering From and Rejoicing in Fundamentalism: Insights From Former Fundamentalists and the Pastors Who Shepherd Them

Eric Alan Vander Ploeg

Etd

Recovering From and Rejoicing in Fundamentalism: Insights From Former Fundamentalists and the Pastors Who Shepherd Them

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Eric Alan Vander Ploeg. Recovering From and Rejoicing In Fundamentalism: Insights From Former Fundamentalists and the Pastors Who Shepherd Them. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/18affecf-ad94-4f26-88a3-f0ae2c651461.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

E. A. V. Ploeg. Recovering From and Rejoicing in Fundamentalism: Insights From Former Fundamentalists and the Pastors Who Shepherd Them. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/18affecf-ad94-4f26-88a3-f0ae2c651461

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Eric Alan Vander Ploeg. Recovering From and Rejoicing In Fundamentalism: Insights From Former Fundamentalists and the Pastors Who Shepherd Them. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/18affecf-ad94-4f26-88a3-f0ae2c651461.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

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Eric Alan Vander Ploeg

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Abstract

Christian fundamentalism played a key role in protecting the gospel from liberal decay inAmerican history. Its leaders built a high wall of separation around the fundamentals of the faithto protect them from the innovations of modernism. The wall kept cultural threats out, but it alsokept a particular era of Christian culture in. While America later experienced the most rapidcultural upheavals in its history, fundamentalism remained largely unchanged within its walls,and the cultural chasm grew wider and wider. Some of the children of fundamentalism have nowleft these walls and are in search of something new.This project seeks to help these “travelers” on their journey. Twenty focus groups withself-identified “recovering fundamentalists” identified several patterns of personal pain alongwith lessons learned that could benefit others. Nine interviews with experienced pastors yieldedbest practices in shepherding travelers as they enter evangelical churches. These results werecollated to produce four key findings:1. Living with the disapproval and disappointment of fundamentalist parents aftertransitioning.2. Learning how to trust authority (of leaders and of the Bible) after being told to “justtrust” and not ask questions.3. Moving from a model of sanctification that is guilt-based to one that is grace-based.4. Learning how to rejoice in the fundamentalism of one’s youth and to see God’skindness and glory amidst the errors of its proponents.

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