After fundamentalism: The future of evangelical theology

243 Pages·1983·6.418 MB·English

by  Bernard L Ramm

ISBN □-□L-Dt.b7fiT-3 >$14-15
This major statement by a respected scholar offers
evangelical theologians a way to build a coherent
theology out of the modernist-fundamentalist con­
troversy that has fragmented contemporary Chris­
tian thinking. Bernard Ramm argues that evan­
gelical theology, to be taken seriously in the twen­
tieth century, must be able to come to terms with
historical criticism, scientific developments, and
human progress, while retaining faithfulness to
Scripture.
Central to the discussion in After Fundamental­
ism is the inability—until now—of theologians to
come to terms with the Enlightenment of the eigh-
, teenth century. Orthodox theology has not, so far,
recovered from the shattering experience of that
cultural watershed in human history. Carefully,
illuminatingly, Ramm discloses how Karl Barth’s
theology, when properly understood, serves as
the best, and most consistent, model to come to
terms with the Enlightenment. Barth, as After
Fundamentalism so clearly demonstrates, found
the balance point from which theology can grow
beyond the unresolved controversy that began
over two centuries ago.
“Barth is a child of the Enlightenment wher­
ever it represents true learning and genuine prog­
ress in knowledge,” Ramm points out. “He is a
severe critic of the Enlightenment in its pretensions
to final truth, to its perfect harmony with reason,
and its criticism of orthodox Christianity.” Dis­
tilling the essence of Barth’s thought and method­
ology, Ramm formulates a unifying method for
doing a Bible-centered theology that does not
deny the modern world or deny reason. After Fun­
damentalism embodies a genuine, valid working
hypothesis for evangelicals to interact with the
humanity of Scripture and biblical criticism in
general.
(continued on back flap)
□1143763

AFTER
FUNDAMENTALISM
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AFTER
FUNDAMENTALISM
The Future
of Evangelical
Theology
Bernard Ramm
jl
lE
1817
HARPER & ROW, PUBLISHERS, SAN FRANCISCO
Cambridge, Hagerstown, New York, Philadelphia
London, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Sydney
After Fundamentalism: The Future of Evangelical
Theology. Copyright © 1983 by Bernard Ramm. All
rights reserved. Printed in the United States of Amer­
ica. No part of this book may be used or reproduced
in any manner whatsoever without written permis­
sion except in the case of brief quotations embodied
in critical articles and reviews. For information ad­
dress Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd
Street, New York, NY 10022. Published simultaneous­
ly in Canada by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Limited, To­
ronto.
FIRST EDITION
Designed by Donna Davis
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Ramm, Bernard L„ 1916-
AFTER FUNDAMENTALISM.
Bibliography: p. 211
Includes index.
1. Theology—Methodology. 2. Evangelicalism.
3. Enlightenment. 4. Barth, Karl, 1886-1968.
5. Modernist-fundamentalist controversy. I. Title.
BR118.R33 1982 230'.044 82-47792
ISBN 0-06-066789-3
83 84 85 86 87 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface vii
1. The Quest 1
2. My Problem 11
3. Getting More Specific 29
4. Preaching 50
5. Apologetics 57
6. History 72
7. The Word of God 88
8. The Humanity of Holy Scriptures 101
9. The Divinity of Holy Scriptures 116
10. The Christological Scriptures 126
11. Freedom 135
12. Ethics 144
13. The Doctrine of Man 151
14. The Existence of God 158
15. Universalism 165
16. Humanism 173
17. Christological Eschatology 181
18. The Laughing Barth 193
Appendix 1. Reservations About Barth's Theology 199
Appendix 2. Lewis Sperry Chafer and Karl Barth 206
Bibliography 211
Index 219
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