American Council of Christian Churches
78th Annual Convention, October 22-24, 2019
Faith Chapel, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Resolution on Conference Theme: “Biblical Fundamentalism: Pursuing Purity”
Understanding the history of fundamentalism involves recognizing its unchangeable essence while appreciating its change of practice in response to the challenges it has faced. From its efforts to drive Modernism out of its denominations and institutions during the first quarter of the 20th century to its withdrawal from those institutions after they were taken over by theological liberals assisted by tolerant conservatives in the second quarter of the 20th century, to its separation from compromising evangelical brethren since that time, Fundamentalism has been a separatist movement. As David Beale states in his history of American fundamentalism, the heart of the movement is “the unqualified acceptance of and obedience to the Scriptures.”1 Its spirit reflects the zeal of Phineas executing the defilers of God’s people (Num. 25:6-13). Its voice echoes the call of Jude to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
Sadly, the day of speaking out strongly against evil has been replaced with an era of political correctness. Strong denunciation of wrong has been labeled “hate speech.” The effect of this has carried over into evangelical circles. The number of voices challenging the compromising and corrupting of the gospel is shrinking. Our present-day softness stands in stark contrast with our Savior’s denouncement of the enemies of the gospel in His day. The righteous anger of the Son of God broke upon the religious leaders who pretended to be champions of God’s truth. Far from winning God’s favor, religion not based on His truth merited His most intense displeasure (Matthew 23).
While the trend among conservative evangelicals is to shed the label of fundamentalism, the American Council of Christian Churches stands true to the core of biblical fundamentalism, to identify unashamedly with its name, and to seek to follow its pattern of pursuing purity.
Therefore, the American Council of Christian Churches at its 78th annual convention, October 22-24, 2019, at Faith Chapel, Carlisle, PA, resolves to declare its appreciation of the many faithful men who have been voices for the cause of fundamentalism and to encourage fundamental pastors and their churches across the nation to maintain their loyalty to the living Word and to the written Word of God.
1 David Beale, In the Pursuit of Purity: American Fundamentalism since 1850 (Greenville, SC: Unusual Publications, 1986), 3.
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Pursuing Purity
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