A good definition of fundamentalism: taking as fundamental that which is not fundamental. This tendency has plagued the Church from the very beginning. We find in the Acts of the Apostles that some of the early Jewish Christians imagined that the Jewish law was fundamental. “It is necessary to circumcise them and direct them to observe the Mosaic law.” There was a “Council” in Jerusalem of the early Church leaders about the year 50AD to resolve the issue. Through the centuries various other practices or customs have been looked upon as fundamental to the faith. Like those first Christians we must resist the temptation to imagine these cultural accretions (Latin word order!) are necessary. What is fundamental is loving God and loving our neighbor.
MAY52021
By Church Staff
