Re: Fundamentalism is a modern phenomenon

I quite agree with you that "Christian fundamentalism" is historically linked with modern rationalism, and is in fact the reaction against 19th century liberal theology which espoused such positions as your following statement: such things as the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection, and the Flood (or for that matter Muhammed's direct ascension into heaven from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem) did not literally happen in the way the John F. Kennedy's assassination happened. However, I think you are quite mistaken if you are implying that these beliefs are unique to modern Christian fundamentalism. As Forgiven indicated below, the belief in the historicity of the Resurrection is attested to in the first century church (notably, but not exclusively, in the scriptures he quoted). Further, your assertion that "fundamentalists know perfectly well" that these things did not literally happen sounds impressive, but is utterly meaningless. How could anyone save God alone know what fundamentalists know? I'm sure you didn't intend to do so, but your comments could be read to imply that anyone who believes literally in the Virgin Birth (or even the Immaculate Conception) and the bodily resurrection of Christ is a psychic time-bomb, about to erupt into outbursts of hatred and fanaticism at any moment. Dirk