A recent open letter from a college president explaining the reason for inviting speakers previously unwelcome at the school has set off a firestorm of controversy. My only connection with the school is through friendships. At the outset I confess my agreement with the direction the school is taking. I would gladly share the pulpit with the men invited to speak. I would simply like to see a biblical basis for these changes and recognition that past practices, however sincere and well-meaning, went beyond Scripture. In reflecting on my own spiritual journey, I frankly admit that I no longer practice ecclesiastical separation as I did in the past. I have changed my position over the years and believe it is in light of a better understanding of God’s Word. I really believe God changed my position but don’t want to blame Him for any of my imbalances. I have been wrong about some things in the past, am wrong today even if I don’t see it, and will be wrong on some things in the future.
Ecclesiastical separation from apostasy and from disobedient believers has been one of the hallmarks of fundamentalism. What would a fundamentalist conference be without at least one major session exhorting the faithful, usually loudly, to practice biblical separation? To further define or clarify their understanding of separation, many fundamentalists adopt other descriptive labels as badges of their declared faithfulness to Scripture such as “militant” or “separatist.” At times this leads to one-upmanship with determination to be a separatist among the separatists with some standing alone with Elijah because they alone are faithful.read more
