Leaving the Fold: Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists

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Protestant fundamentalism claims many converts each year as the devout serve as "witnesses" to draw people "into the fold." This is where the media hype stops. Little is known of the thousands who leave, frustrated, anguished, confused. For them there are no trumpets of glory, no energized fanfare. No one knows fundamentalism like a fundamentalist, and no one can express what it means to struggle with one's faith to the breaking point, like an ex-fundamentalist. After presenting a fascinating history of ...
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Overview

Protestant fundamentalism claims many converts each year as the devout serve as "witnesses" to draw people "into the fold." This is where the media hype stops. Little is known of the thousands who leave, frustrated, anguished, confused. For them there are no trumpets of glory, no energized fanfare. No one knows fundamentalism like a fundamentalist, and no one can express what it means to struggle with one's faith to the breaking point, like an ex-fundamentalist. After presenting a fascinating history of "Fundamentalism's Grotesque Past," this riveting new collection offers testimonies of former fundamentalists who became so disillusioned with their church that they chose to leave. Presenting more than thirty personal journeys, this book gives a clear picture of what attracts a person to the fundamentalist faith and what can drive believers away from their religion. Leaving the Fold includes the religious odysseys of those who left fundamentalism behind in favor of atheism or agnosticism, as well as the spiritual journeys of those who remained Christians but backed away from the powerful attraction of fundamentalism. These testimonies convey not only deep feelings and penetrating facts, but the appeal of dogmatic fundamentalism and each individual's struggle to maintain their faith. Leaving the Fold discusses the fears and dilemmas faced by each person who chose to part ways with the church, their gradual dawning of courage to continue asking questions, and their success in giving their intellectual curiosity the freedom it craves. Christians, atheists, and those who may be questioning their own religious convictions will find Leaving the Fold engrossing. This volume also contains a collection of quotations and an annotated bibliography for those interested in tracking down further testimonies.

This riveting new collection offers testimonies of former fundamentalists who became disillusioned with their churches and left. Presenting more than two dozen personal journeys, this book gives a clear picture of what attracts a person to the fundamentalist faith and what can drive believers away from their religion. Photos throughout.

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Editorial Reviews

Library Journal
Between an introduction and appendix provided by Babinski, 33 former Christian fundamentalists explain how and why they first embraced, and later abandoned, that belief system. Of these, eight have become atheists, eight (including Babinski) agnostics, one a wiccan, and one a Zen Buddhist; the remainder have remained Christian. Major contemporary religious writers such as Harvey Cox and Sam Keen are included. The agenda here is unmistakably antifundamentalist, and the occasional leak of vitriol does distract. Also, in its ambition to be comprehensive, Babinski's annotated "list of additional testimonies" neglects a distinction between trash and treasure. However, in the main the individual statements and recollections are clearly, thoughtfully, and intelligently presented, and documentation is thorough. For this reason, and because no similar collection of such breadth and depth is available, this work is reservedly recommended as a useful addition to church, academic, and larger public library collections.-Bill Piekarski, Southwestern Coll. Lib., Chula Vista, Cal.
Booknews
Beginning with an essay titled "Fundamentalism's Grotesque Past," this fascinating collection, written and edited by a former fundamentalist Christian, offers more than 30 personal accounts of former members of the flock who became so disillusioned with their churches that they chose to leave. Organized by the subsequent spiritual choices made by each contributor, this collection provides a revealing picture of what attracts people to fundamentalism and what can drive believers away from it. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780879759070
  • Publisher: Prometheus Books
  • Publication date: 1/1/1995
  • Pages: 462
  • Product dimensions: 6.28 (w) x 9.35 (h) x 1.09 (d)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments 11
Introduction 15
1 What You Should Know About Fundamentalism 19
2 Fundamentalism's Grotesque Past 33
3 Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists Who Are Now Moderate Evangelical, Liberal, or Ultra-Liberal Christians 61
Dewey M. Beegle: Journey to Freedom 63
David Coffin: Fundamentalism: A Blessing and a Curse 83
Harvey Cox: An Ecumenical/Evangelical Dialogue 91
Tom Harpur: Heaven and Hell 97
Conrad Hyers: The Comic Vision 103
Dennis Ronald MacDonald: From Faith to Faith 109
David Montoya: The Political Disease Known as Fundamentalism 119
Marlene Oaks: Old Time Religion Is a Cult 137
Robert M. Price: Beyond Born Again 145
Arch B. Taylor, Jr.: The Bible, and What It Means to Me 153
Mike and Karla Yaconelli: Behind the Wittenburg Door 171
4 Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists Who Are Now Adherents of Non-Christian Spiritualities 183
William Bagley: Reflections on a Christian Experience 185
Ernest Heramia: The Thorn-Crowned Lord/The Antler-Crowned Lord 195
5 Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists Who Are Now Agnostics 205
Edward T. Babinski: If It Wasn't for Agnosticism, I Wouldn't Know What to Believe! 207
Joe Barnhart: Fundamentalism as Stage One 233
Kevin R. Henke: A Little Horse Sense Is Worth a Thousand Inerrant Doctrines 241
Sam Keen: To a Dancing God 255
Austin Miles: Don't Call Me Brother 261
Robert Moore: From Pentecostal Christianity to Agnosticism 275
Charles Templeton: Inside Evangelism 285
Farrell Till: From Preacher to Skeptic 293
6 Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists Who Are Now Atheists 297
Dan Barker: Losing Faith in Faith 299
M. Lee Deitz: My Conversion from Fundamentalism 305
Timothy William Grogan: Lies, Damn Lies, and Boredom 313
Jim Lippard: From Fundamentalism to Open-ended Atheism 321
Harry H. McCall: "Who Do Men Say That I Am?" 329
David N. Stamos: Why I Am Not a New Apostolic 337
Howard M. Teeple: I Started to Be a Minister 347
Frank R. Zindler: Biography 359
7 Testimonies of Former Fundamentalists Who Played Major Roles in Liberalizing the Religion of Their Day 365
John William Colenso: The Heretic 367
Robert G. Ingersoll: Why I Am an Agnostic 373
Charles Francis Potter: The Preacher and I 383
Henry Preserved Smith: The Heretic's Defense 403
Appendix A: The Pentateuch and Book of Joshua Critically Examined by J. W. Colenso 413
Appendix B: The "Roman Road to Salvation" or the "Synoptic Road to Salvation"? Belief or Ethics? 425
Appendix C: Assorted Quotations that Address Various Aspects of Fundamentalism 427
Appendix D: A List of Additional Testimonies by Former Fundamentalists and Related Resources 439
Index 455
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