.13 f also associated with Biola, the School played a vital role in the battle between the liberals and fundamentalists. These two projects had a substant- ial influence on the rise of fundamentalism, because they w€re--recrdoy a very select group. They developed in their readers an anxiety for the well-being of Christianity~ This, in turn produced a fear for the preservation of the historic Christian faith, and motivated a spiritual defense of the Gospel~ Another feature in the above publications was their use of the dispen~ sational system of biblical interpretation. This doctrine which proved to be one of the major unifying forces on the new fundamentalist movement, cut across denominational lines and served as a magnet to attract conservative Bible scholars from various Protestant groups, affecting the movement in its early history in several ways. First, this view of biblical interpretation prompted the convening of numerous Prophetic Conferences in the period from 1875 to 1925. A list of the important scholars participating in these con- ferences, either as speakers or listeners, constitutes a "Who's Who" of the first generation of the present-day fundamentalists. Second, it influenced the publication of the Scofield Bible, published in 1909, which had a great influence on the propagation of dispensationalism. Third, it helped to form the doctrinal beliefs of the World Christian Fundamentals Association, which in turn greatly aided in the unification of fundamentalists. All the aspects of the fundamentalist movement helped to fan the fire of religious discontent among the conservative leaders into an open flame of reaction and had a leavening influence on the war psychology that followed World War I, generating a religious militancy within conservative circles. As a result, the conservatives of that day became the early leaders in the new fundamentalist movement. Their method of appeal was two-fold. First, they directed their energies toward gaining control of evangelism for the purpose of reinstating Christian orthodoxy. Second, they undertook reform- ative measures beyond the local church, with the view of checking the stand- ards of secular faith.
Made with FlippingBook Online newsletter