Reformed fundamentalism

• Christology – the pre-existence, supremacy and deity (Jn. 8. 38), co-equality and consubstantiality (with the Father and the Spirit) (Jn. 10.30), authentic and sinless humanity (2 Cor. 5. 21), virgin birth, incarnation (Jn. 1), ministry of miracles, substitutionary and expiatory death, bodily resurrection of Jesus, physical ascension of Jesus, exclusive mediatorial intercession and the visible, audible and bodily second coming of Jesus.[5][6][7]
• Protestant Reformed theology such as covenantalism, election, predestination and preordination, Kingdom theology, eternal security, and the sovereignty of God. The covenantalism of reformed fundamentalism stands in contrast to the dispensationalism of wider Christian fundamentalism. The traditional Protestant doctrine of justification by faith alone (sola fide)[6]
• The supernatural element of Christianity. God has and does intervene in human history, and supernatural kingdoms exist (kingdom of God, and the kingdom of darkness).[8] Manifestations of the supernatural include plagues, the Exodus, healings, visions, angels and demons, the wicked being called Satan, Christ's incarnation, bodily resurrection, common grace and the preservation of individuals, prophecy, miracles, upholding of the cosmic constants and laws of the universe etc.
• The infallibility and inspiration of the scriptures[1] and an inspiration of "like substance" of faithful vernacular translations: "perfect" inspiration is reserved for the texts in the original languages.[9] Authors have contributed in defending and vindicating the veracity of chapters and verses of scripture, yet have also restrained themselves from attempting to exhaustively prove and harmonise all sceptical indictments ('Forced Harmonisation'):[10] since not all knowledge is available to the individual or society to humanly demonstrate the truthfulness of inspiration, mankind's reasoning power is tainted by the consequences of the Fall of mankind, and since faith must be allowed freedom to govern and rule.
• The historicity of the persons and events in the Pentateuch and particularly the Book of Genesis (e.g. Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the Deluge, Tower of Babel, the lives of the patriarchs, the Exodus etc.).[11] Covenantal and typological theology (especially Christological typology) are dependent upon Pentateuchal history.
• The authority of Jesus Christ is not considered distinct from the authority of God's written revelation, a revelation that includes Christ's divine testimony. The Gospels contain the substance of Christ's divine teaching in Greek, the ipsissma vox ('very voice') and translated ipsissima verba ('very words').[12]
• The formational centrality of the New Testament, the Gospels and the Epistles in particular, in the life of the Christian

• Christocentric (a special emphasis upon Christ in preaching, interpretation and practice), and 'crucicentric' (a special emphasis on the atoning work of Christ on the cross)
• The perspicuity or clarity of scripture for salvation (2 Tim. 3. 15)[13]
• The distinction of mankind from the rest of the created order, as mankind is created in "the image [tselem] and likeness [demuth] of God" (Gen. 1. 27)[8][7]
• The Original Sin and Fall of mankind (Gen. 3), and the subsequent pervasive sinfulness and total depravity of all humans.[8][6] The imago Dei is regarded as now marred and imperfect.
• Two eternal conditions and abodes: the eternal life that is realised in the present by faith in Jesus Christ and that ends with the believer in the presence of the Lord (Heaven) after bodily death, and spiritual death that is realised in the present through slavery to sin and spiritual blindness and that results in the unregenerate in eternal perdition (Hell) after bodily death. Christians believe that only God's grace in Christ can rescue condemned sinners from eternal destruction. Jesus distinguished between the "broad way that leads to destruction," and the "narrow way that leads to life" (Matt 7:13-14).
• Christian exclusivism, or particularism. Salvation in Christ alone. Jesus is taught as having sole access to God the Father (John 14. 6) and as being the 'first' and highest priority for the Christian and the world (pre-eminence of Christ).
• Emphasis is placed upon the prophetic fulfilment of the scriptures in Christ Jesus
• Regeneration by the Holy Spirit[8] and the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit
• Salvation is received through the appropriation of the saving work of Christ, not by any human deeds or efforts (Tit. 3. 5). Jesus' perfect obedience to the Law (active obedience), atoning death in place of guilty law-breaking sinners (substitutionary atonement), and the satisfaction of the demands of God's justice at the cross (penal substitution) are positively affirmed and defended.
• Justification by faith alone in Christ alone and Jesus Christ as the object of saving faith
• Faith as a gift from God (Eph. 2. 8)[14]
• Emphasis upon evangelism

• 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament[11][6] and Scripture as the supreme and final authority in faith, practice and life[5][7]
• Trinitarianism (Triune God)[5][8]
• Church invisible
• Reformational solae – scripture alone (sola scriptura), grace alone (sola gratia), faith alone (sola fide), Christ alone (solus Christus), glory to God alone (soli Deo Gloria).[15] Tota scriptura ([the] whole scripture) and prima scriptura (scripture first) are related to sola scriptura.
• Gymnobiblism - the belief that the bare text of the translated vernacular Bible, without commentary, may be safely given to the unlearned as a sufficient guide to religious truth.
• The believer's necessary dependence on the Holy Spirit, and the evidence of the works of the Holy Spirit on the believer (e.g. conviction of sin, confidence of forgiveness in Christ, assurance of adoption, renewed hope of heaven etc.)
• The action of Christian faith through means of grace to spiritually soften and cleanse the believer, and the Puritan notion of "heart work."
• The goodness and grace of God, particularly the saving grace and forgiveness that comes through the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus
• The severity of sin and the righteousness of the law of God[16]
• The practice of believers to contend against spiritual darkness[17]
• The ordination of human government for maintaining justice and law[17]
• The judgement of Christ[18] and the Last Judgement
• The resurrection of the dead[19]
• The rapture (gathering) of God's elect
• The millennial reign of Jesus Christ, and chiefly historic premillennialism. This is in contrast with dispensationalist premillennialism.
• Non-conformism and ecclesiastical separatism, and an adherence to a doctrine of separation (2 Tim. 3)[8][11]
• Priesthood of all believers
• The existence of the "good works" of believers[20]
• The absence of contradiction between true scriptural interpretation and (authentic) science
• The "chief end of man" to glorify God, and enjoy him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism Q1)[21]
• Original creation made from nothing (creatio ex nihilo)
• Unlike more mainstream young earth creationism, some fundamentalists have accepted forms of Historical, Young Biosphere (YBC) and Gap creationism.
• Assisted Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch. Traditional authorship is ascribed to books entitled after a name, such as Amos, Isaiah, Matthew, John etc.
• Heterosexual and monogamous marriage as God-ordained[22]

Reformed fundamentalists believe in the inspiration (theopneustia) and conservation of the scripture entire. The forerunning debates in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries resulted in the defence of the doctrine of the superintended plenary (full) organic inspiration of the scriptures, a doctrine confused and derided as 'mechanical' inspiration at the time. François Gaussen's defence of plenary inspiration has been one influential Protestant testimony. For conservative fundamentalist evangelicals, inspiration never ceased with the inaccessibility of the originals.

Since the scriptures are the work of God, "[s]peculation into the "how" of inspiration is a prying into what is not revealed [...] We are not told how God inspired the writers of the scriptures. It is probable that none could know save those who were so energized"[23] and the particular process of inspiration and the doctrine of scripture is likened to the incomprehensible (to reason) doctrines of the Trinity and incarnation.[24] The overarching salvific end of the scriptures (2 Tim. 3.15) is often emphasised, and that hermeneutical limitations do not subtract from the salvific end and Divine activity of the scriptures. Psalm 119.89 is shown to defend the eternal settling of the Bible. The verity of inspiration and purity of the words are predicated as resting upon the scripture itself, whether all the writers knew they were writing scripture or not.[25] The canon is defined as the collection of inspired books that God alone intended to be the rule of faith, and imposed on the consciences of Christians: feasibly inspired works, such as the Epistle to the Laodiceans (Col. 4. 16), were therefore unintended to become a rule of faith for the entire Church.[26]

Verbal inspiration, upheld by various Protestant churches, maintains that the individual backgrounds, personal traits, and literary styles of the writers and compilers were authentically theirs, but had been providentially prepared by God for use as His instrument in producing scripture. It is held that the normal exercise of endowed human abilities was unhindered[27] and that the process of inspiration was superintended so mysteriously, that every word written was the exact word God wanted to be written, free from all confusion and inaccuracy. The words in the infallible originals (autographs), as well as the concepts, were given by inspiration, an inspiration unable to be dissected (e.g. into substance and form).[6] The originals are considered inspired, and the copies and printed editions when free from erratum, are handled as God-breathed and are the veritable rock of translation foundation.[8][11][6] Therefore, the scripture is considered unfailing and blunder-exempt from within (ab intra). The biblical writer/prophet's scriptural familiarity is considered providentially prepared. Additionally, the languages in which the writing was completed, are considered as being perfectly adapted to the expression of God's "divine thoughts."[28]

The translations of the Greek New Testament and Hebrew Old Testament are considered the inspired word of God to the extent that they are a close, accurate rendering of the scriptures.[29] Wherever the English version of the testaments lies fairly within the confines of the original, the authority of the latest form is as great as that of the earliest.[30] In other words, inspiration is not considered as 'limited to that portion which lay within the horizon of the original scribes'.[31] The Bible's inspiration is made immediately apparent by the Holy Spirit to the believer only, who has been gifted the Spirit at salvation.[32]

Verbal preservation is defined by the retention of every canonical word in the original languages that God intended for future generations. It is held that not a single word, letter, accent, or character, in the originals has been lost to the Church. The preservation of scripture is considered complete, kept through the providentially-guided and continuous "normal" (regular) copying of scribes, and "singular" (special) transmission, compilation and printing.

The preservation of God's written word is contended as a faith position that Christ himself held (Matt. 5.18) and as detectable/locatable. Other scriptures that have been cited as documentary confirmation of God's preservation of the written Word are Matt. 5.18, Matt. 24.35, John 10.35, and 1 Pet. 1.25. Chapter 1.8 of the Westminster Confession of Faith speaks of the scriptures as being "by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, [and] are therefore authentical."[33] Faithful textual study is considered to confirm true textual recognition, and that diligent and devotional study renders the Christian's access to God's Word identical to what God's Word is ontologically. It is held, that as God providentially entrusted the transmittance of His Word through human scribes, God has also allowed His elect obvious referential textual access. John Owen and Francis Turretin (Reformed theologians) are championed as defenders of the traditional text preservation view of the Bible, the former writing; "[w]e add that the whole scripture entire, as given out from God, without any loss, is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining; What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared; in them all, we say, is every letter and Tittle of the Word"[34] Yet, Arminian theologians have defended the traditional readings too. The contextual case of Frederic Godet is one example.

Conservative Protestants have historically favoured Ben Chayyim's consonantal text and the Masoretic vowel points[35] and the Byzantine Majority Text, and singularly, the Received Text.[36] The 'Greek original New Testament hypothesis' is maintained. Particular and ordinary providence have been cited in support of the traditional texts of the Old and New Testaments. Providential preservation extending to the ecclesiastical copyists and scribes of the continuous centuries since the first century AD, to the Jewish scribe-scholars (including the Levites and later, the Qumranites and Masoretes), and to the orthodox and catholic scholars of the Renaissance and Reformation. This has been called a "high view" of preservation. The degree of ascription of textual purity to the (traditional) Vulgate and Eastern Orthodox liturgical tradition, is often a determining factor in the acceptance of some Byzantine-attested Received readings and early modern (English) Bible verses. TR (non-Scrivener) purists reject certain KJV readings, favouring readings from one TR edition, or well-attested readings in the TR tradition (see Adam Boyd, 2022). Jerome's Vulgate is of comparable antiquity to Codex Sinaiticus (א), Codex Vaticanus (B) and Codex Alexandrinus (A), and is considered to attest to source texts (with affinities to Byzantine mss) of greater antiquity.

The perceived ambiguities of the standard form of the Masoretic Text are considered subject to de minimis, along with the orthographic variations with fragmentary Paleo-Hebrew texts (see Paleo-Hebrew Leviticus Scroll); Torah might have been rendered into an already extant common and primitive Hebrew tongue (such as Ketav Ivri), with the Ktav Ashuri originating early rather than with Ezra, but the specific transmission history of Ketav Ivri is not yet known.[37] The providential dominance of the Masoretic Text is underscored.

• Christocentric rule
• Typological hermeneutic
• Historical-grammatical method
• Consultation of lexicons, grammars, concordances, and the Hebrew and Greek testaments. Cruden's concordance is a famous concordance.
• Contextual grounding and reading in 'concentric circles' (verse-paragraph-chapter-book-genre-testament/covenant)
• The analogy of faith (scriptura sui ipsius interpres, 'scripture interprets/informs scripture')[38]
• The principle of non-contradiction.[39] (1) That God cannot contradict the scripture, (2) that scripture when rightly interpreted does not contradict scripture.
• The literal-historical-grammatical method of interpretation, instead of tropological, allegorical, and anagogical interpretation. Criticisms of Reformational interpretation often confound literalism for letterism (hyperliteralism or crude literalism).
• Sensitivity to literary genre (e.g. prophetic, poetic, epistle, apocalyptic, Gospel etc.)
• Law/principle of first mention
• Dr. David L. Cooper's "Golden Rule" of interpretation.
• The Reformational "wax nose" and scriptural interpretation as "finitely plastic."[40]

• Creedal: Nicene Creed, Apostles' Creed, Athanasian Creed (and Chalcedonian Definition).[41] The first four ecumenical councils of the early Church are therefore acknowledged.
• Confessional: Westminster Confession of Faith (1646)[42]

Whilst received and used, the creeds and confessions are not considered as bearing equal authority to the Bible. The most notable Early Church Fathers have been recognised.

Traditional conservative evangelicals exalted the King James Version, and held that the Textus Receptus (TR) was the honoured and restorative Greek text to Latin Church. It must be noted, the TR is now generally applied to the family of similar Byzantine-text Greek New Testaments, for example, the editions of Erasmus (first edition, Novum Instrumentum omne, 1516), Beza (first edition, Octavo, 1565) and Stephanus (notable third edition, Editio Regia, 1550). The editions published by Abraham and Bonaventure Elzivir, almost identical to the texts of Beza, became known as the Textus Receptus ('Received Text') due to a note in Heinsius' preface ("Therefore, you have the text now received by all [...]"), but Textus Receptus has also been commonly applied to the 1550 Stephanus edition.[48] The 47[49] translators of the 1611 KJV (AKJV) used the New Testaments of Erasmus, Stephanus and Beza, yet augmented with Vulgate-base vernacular translations, Tyndale, Geneva (Whittingham), Complutensian Polyglot, Coverdale, Bishops' and Matthew Bibles.[50] Ben Chayyim's text was the Old Testament base text but it was supplemented by the first rabbinic Bible (e.g. Josh. 21. 36-37). F. H. A. Scrivener prepared a close Greek text edition that likely lay behind the AKJV. The Authorised Version was edited in 1612, 1613, 1616, 1617, 1629, 1630, 1634, 1638, 1640, before the editions of 1762 (S. F. Paris, Cambridge Edition), 1769 (Benjamin Blayney, Oxford Edition) and 1873 (Scrivener, Cambridge Paragraph Bible).[51] Despite historical linguistic editorial changes, the 1611 text remained materially constant. Defenders of the Authorised Version call to attention that the early modern English grammar reflected the use of singular (e.g. 'thou,' 'thee,' 'thy' and 'thine') and plural (e.g. 'ye,' 'you,' 'your' and 'yours') second person pronouns in the Hebrew and Greek languages, Hebrew possessing separate masculine and feminine forms.[52] 1611 translator additions for the purpose of better rendering sentences were in smaller roman type, but in Blayney's Oxford edition, italics were used instead. Several italic decisions of the Oxford edition have since been changed (e.g. 1 John 2.23).

The New Cambridge Paragraph Bible (2005) and the Third Millennium Bible (1998) are two minor modern and conservative editions of the KJV. Blayney's 1769 Oxford edition remains the most widely circulated KJV.[53]

The Thomas Nelson publication of the New King James Version (1982) was a minor development within the movement. The Revised Authorised Version is the British edition, published by Samuel Bagster & Co. The preface to the NKJV states that the New Testament is based upon the same New Testament selection behind the KJV.[54] The translators remove older English words and the second person pronoun distinctions, detach from some of the "damnation language," include a great number of exclamation marks (e.g. see the Psalms)[55] and headings, and enlarge the number of pronoun capitalisations of Divine persons. The Old Testament does depart from several textual choices of the KJV (e.g. 1 Sam 13.1, 1 Chron. 7.28), the translators preferring the Biblia Hebraica and Ketiv/Qere in places.[56] The NKJV includes in the footnotes where the translated Greek text differs from the critical text (minority text) and recent majority text: the accommodation to include references to critical editions of the New Testament continues to divide opinion and source discussion, as do references to Ben Asher's text and ancient versions.[55] NKJV Reader's editions exclude all textual footnotes. A small number of New Testament readings questionably approach eclectic readings[57] and lately the KJV 2016 and MEV have been viewed as modernised alternatives. In congregational teaching and preaching, ministers have used Received Text translations with an informed awareness of modern translation and versions, and have utilised the KJV, its language, and the works of Protestants steeped in the KJV, in personal study, private devotion and prayers: for example, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones publicly read from the Authorised Version, but made direct reference to alternative revised translations.[58]

Some fundamentalists do use translations based upon the earliest dated extant manuscripts, such as the NRSV, ESV and NASB, the NASB being stylistically similar to the NKJV. The proliferation of the New International Version (NIV) has been observed with censure,[59] but the ability for various translations to lead an individual to saving faith in Christ is freely admitted. Many affirm the stylistic standard of prior versions.[60] The Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster uses the Authorised Version, '[b]elieving it to be the most reliable translation'[61] and the Calvary Chapel Association prefer the NKJV and KJV.[62] The Trinitarian Bible Society promote Scrivener's Received Text for the purposes of translation and mission.[63] Translations with a lower reading level are in some churches chosen for the pews. Thomas Nelson publish and promote the Byzantine-based translations (KJV, NKJV) as well as Alexandrian-based translations (ASV, RSV).

Evangelicals recognise the strong commitment to scriptural inspiration and sound orthodox doctrine of earlier translators, and the need for the Christian to be a regular reader of the Bible. Unnecessary division over translation has been internally condemned.[64] It is emphasised that the written word is a means by which Christians know the incarnate Word (Christ Jesus) more intimately.

• Reformed theologians since John Calvin have said that the scriptures are "self-authenticating" (autopiston)[69]
• Fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, including Messianic prophecies fulfilled in Jesus (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53, Micah 5.2 etc.),[70] and fulfilment of prophecies given by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse (siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, emergence of false messiah-claimants, continuance of war, increase in famines and pestilences, persecution of believers, etc.).
• Archaeological finds compatible with scriptural accounts (e.g. Pilate stone, Vardar Gate "Politarch" inscription, Tel Dan stele, Merneptah Stele, Ketef Hinnom scrolls, Lachish letters, Siloam tunnel, Kurkh Monoliths, Nimrud Tablet K.3751, Azekah Inscription, Sennacherib's Annals, Cylinders of Nabonidus, Nabonidus Chronicle, Mesha Stele, Elephantine papyri, Arch of Titus, Nazareth Inscription, Hittite cuneiform etc.)[71][72][73]
• The moral and intellectual insufficiency of humans and the reluctance of critics to affirm authentic external verification and internal textual evidence
• The Gospels as unique Christian historiography[74] but harmonious with ancient historical trends and customs (Jewish and Gentile). The shared characteristics of the Gospels has led to the view they were written after the pattern of the Old Testament ancient Hebrew (prophetic) oracles[75] rather than simple Greco-Roman biography.
• The unity and internal consistency of the Bible
• The Bible as preserving, maturing, growing and edifying the gift of faith[76]

Absolute naturalistic theories and methods have been markedly opposed since Charles Darwin's publication, On the Origin of Species, in 1859. Christian scholars such as Edwin M. Yamauchi and Reijer Hooykaas[87] have been critical of inconsistent, exclusive uniformitarian views. A. J. Monty White and others, criticise the exploitation of dating methods (e.g. radiometric techniques) that project 'soulish' man's origin beyond a genealogical estimate for Adam's formation, and the early biblical civilisation. The use of DNA sequencing to conjecture 'molecular clocks' and phylogenetic trees, has also been critically challenged.[88] The incredulity of belief in the statistical cosmic improbability of speciation is an accusation made by Christians who support biblical creationism.[89] Notable Pauline exponents have interpreted the apostle Paul as prescribing a historical Adam. Christian genealogists of the Book of Genesis have contended that Adam was recent.

Those who interpret the Bible as intimating time before Gen. 1.3 (Day 1) of the Genesis Week, have entertained the suggestion of prior temporary stasis and creative sequence(s) of the earth; William Buckland, François Gaussen, John Harris, John Burgon, Paton James Gloag, James Gall, R. A. Torrey, and Gleason Archer Jr. all advocated a non-exhaustive historical approach to Genesis 1 and 2. A dynamic antediluvian period and Noahic deluge, are debated as causes of novel geological phenomena, including the formation of certain sedimentary strata, and by extension, an explanation of certain fossils.[90] Prof. Edgar Andrews is associated with this form of cataclysmic geology. The highest known rates of permineralization, replacement and compression of mammalian skeletal remains, have been correlated with the biblical genealogical timespan. Critical doubt concerning the animalian source, antiquity and modern human relevance of trace fossils, singularly alleged hominin footprints, exists.[91] The marked lack and obscurity of ancient Homo sapiens trace fossils is similarly made manifest. Watchman Nee and others asserted a "mystery" to creation.[92] Creation has also been affirmed as an important foundation of redemptive faith, and sincere history is considered to commence with 'developed man;' the distinctive Biblical history's revelation of the generation of Adam is appraised as satisfaction of an authentic and prophetic historical record, partially reflected in ANE literature. Biblical and dogmatic faith is seen as tied to scripture, for those things written are only assuredly recognised.[93]

Current Western accentuation on the remote beginning of life and the cosmos (i.e. etiology, including cosmogenesis and anthropogeny), and the historical traditions of information societies, are seen as driving factors in the elevation of evolutionary theories in opposition to the actual existence of a creator God. Criticisms of the present incentives, pecuniary and philosophical, of scientific institutions in determining research, have been made. Attention has been drawn to secular hostility to teleology, the development of scientific theology (e.g. theobiology and theophysics) and the creation science movement.