I’m undergoing a Fundamorphosis of sorts… my understanding of God and His Word is changing… evolving. I’m letting go of Biblical literalism and opening myself up to God’s Loving voice as He speaks to me in His own way, not man’s. So here I flee from Fundamentalism to the freedom found in an Unfundamentalist (Post-modern? Progressive? Liberal?) spiritual view.
I’ve found God not to be locked inside the ancient holy writing of the Bible but to be an active presence in our daily lives. God is a loving force here in today’s world. His Voice is not constrained to a period of time thousands of years ago nor to our often idolized collective books of the Bible scribed thousands of years ago. He is alive and well and interacting if we are open and aware even to this very day.
I discovered the word Fundamorphasis in a book titled by this name written by Robb Ryerse. I just finished reading it, and found it filled with truth and hope for all of us disillusioned by the church. It’s a mystery how it even crossed my path… I suppose I should thank Amazon for suggesting it, however I feel like it would be more appropriate to thank God Himself for placing it along my path.
First of all, it was an easy read! True, true, I love this spiritual stuff so right off I’m at an advantage! But Ryerse tells the story of his spiritual journey from being a 3rd generational Baptist pastor to an emergent church planter. The story takes you on the journey of how he left Fundamentalism but didn’t lose his Faith. It is about letting go of Biblical literalism and letting God’s voice as He speaks to our hearts lead our walk with Christ instead.
After becoming an Unfundamentalist I have found my heart to be filled with more love and peace than ever before! Ryerse’s Fundamorphasis is from a professional theological perspective yet it parallels my layman’s spiritual journey in many, many ways. This is a book of hope! This book show’s those who are open and willing how God is leading us towards Christ in this new age. I am so grateful to Ryerse for sharing his story and I encourage you to read it too if you also feel like somehow the Church today is missing the message of Love that Christ intended for us.
Fundamorphosis is about evolving spiritually from the beliefs of our Fundamentalist roots to a new understanding of Christianity. It is listening to God as He speaks to our hearts today and not just coasting on the predetermined understanding of the past. Fundamorphosis is letting go of the Law as clung onto by the Pharisees in age’s past and walking the walk of Christ with a loving, accepting, grace filled heart… letting go of the judgement and fear of Fundamentalism.
Not Just A Blonde 
I love your excitement regarding your spiritual journey. I also have undergone fundamorphasis; I outgrew fundamentalism and shed that tight, binding, restrictive shell without losing my faith. In fact, my faith is stronger than it ever was.
It is GREAT to be a FORMER fundamentalist!
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I agree! I am actually grateful for it as I think it has deepened my Faith realizing God is more than the Bible. I’m sure that scares the crap out of Fundies but it brings me great Peace.
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Bible sets boundaries for man, not for God 🙂
There is so much more about this immense Spirit who spans all the universes, who creates by passing a thought through His mind, who is woven of Love and who gets boxed in, carved up into a committee, restricted to man’s petty rules.
If mankind only would see ourselves from His perspective, how tiny we are when even our known universe is but a speck in the oceans of eternity. Yet some carry Him around in the shirt pocket and pluck Him out, parading Him in their inflated pride, as if He could be owned by them!
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Beautifully said. I agree with your words completely. 🙂
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After all, we were given boundaries to protect us from spiritual influences and interaction from the dark side. Back then, ancient people did not have the understanding that we enjoy today. We now know how familiar spirits work, how once can unwittingly open up to demonic influences, etc.
Sometimes it is better just to accept Him and trust His guidance or judgment. A young dog sniffs at flames and burns its nose. We should display more common sense than that.
Because of how I experience our Lord, fundamentalists have branded me as “New Age”, which I am not. I just think that the suffocating confines of the religion we grew up in, blots out the images drawn by God of Himself in the Bible. Once I realized this, I began to see Him in more places than ever before.
His appearances always are in a format aligned with the function or ministry as required at that moment. After all, He is spirit and can manifest at will, in a most unlimited way.
Therefore, we need to know Him intimately and have discernment, as the enemy will mimic Him and **appear** as the angel of the light whilst being the ultimate deceiver.
It is with this in mind that Jesus warned His followers to be vigilant against deception “as many of you will be deceived.” See, even Jesus realized that His own would stray if they did not exercise caution.
We need to be responsible and vigilant when being open-minded, I suppose?
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Another well stated comment. I too have been “accused” of being New Age… which bothered me at first, but then again I am sensitive to others opinions of me at times and consider others views longer and more seriously at times than I should.
The Christian church has been through many “awakenings” and my “New Age” views and beliefs may one day, along with many other like-minded souls be recorded as another movement within the Christian religion.
I have learned to bring to Him any concerns or fears regarding what I believe His Spirit is saying to me and He (thus far) always answers me completely with a Peace that I believe only He can bring. After all He isn’t the “Prince of Peace” for no reason! 😉
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Interestingly, while it has nothing to do with the New Age movement, Jesus does get called both Lord of the Lights and Lord of the New Age in the book of Acts.
Perhaps, some within the modern New Age movement would like to catch up with enlightened Christians? 😀
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Thank you, Ann and Peter, for this thought provoking dialogue and for the reminder that Christian spirituality doesn’t need to be limited by beliefs that are considered Fundamentalist. -Bob
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Yes, God through His Son Jesus and Jesus The Christ through The Holy Spirit, we are loved and cared for. We will have trouble but John 16:33 tells us Christ has overcome the world. Praise God!
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I really like how you phrased this!
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Paul warned Timothy that the “time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
Read Please:
http://www.christianpost.com/news/five-signs-of-ear-tickling-preachers-121172/
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From the link you posted:
“We also know that it is arrogant for any one of us to think that we alone have sound doctrine while everyone else is in error.”
Interesting. Do you not see the irony here?
Sigh. You lost me.
There are no passions of my own that I am trying to justify (I am heterosexual), but just as those who were persecuted before (women, slaves, bi-racial couples, the poor, minorities, etc.) and I feel convicted to be a voice who stands up for those unfairly judged and mistreated. Being different isn’t sinful. God IS (as He has spoken to my heart) more interested in how we LOVE and treat each-other than in “rules”. Otherwise Jesus would have stoned the lady at the well, never healed anyone on the Sabbath nor hung out with sinners… all of those things Jesus did.
Obviously Jesus didn’t sin… Yet those well-versed in religion didn’t understand that although he broke religious law Christ was obedient to God’s will. Jesus wanted us to see the BIG picture. Love comes first. Generosity comes first. Kindness comes first. Compassion comes first. All of these things come before attacking a fellow believer and questioning her Faith using false accusations and the anonymity of cyberspace.
The “truth” as you see it is just that! How can you not see the arrogance of your actions? A simple explanation of why you disagree might suffice. To question my faith and Biblical understanding is hateful not helpful.
I assure you the Holy-Spirit is alive and well in my heart and in my life. Please spend your time reprimanding and correcting those closer to home, such as yourself… but please do it with more love than what you’ve shown me here.
❤️Ann
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The Bible also tells us that we will all be taught by God, and that the Holy Spirit will reveal all truth to us. Furthermore, Peter and John together, and all the disciples in a second incident, told the Jewish religious authorities that they could only obey God, not them. Therefore we should expect to be led by God personally, since He/She allowed those words to exist for the guidance of us all. It depends where you place the authority of the words. I choose to hear and obey God.
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