I cringe every time some pundit refers to “morals-based” voters as Christian fundamentalists. Or refer to the entire “Christian right” as fundamentalists. I’m not a fundamentalist. I don’t get along well with their legalism and black-and-white view of the world. I’m an evangelical, and I do not–repeat, do NOT–want to get lumped in with the Jerry Falwells of the world.

I now must thank the New York Times, the most unlikeliest of sources, for clearing up the confusion. A January 9 article by Laurie Goodstein said, “After the American presidential election in November, some liberal commentators warned that the nation was on the verge of a takeover by Christian ‘fundamentalists.’ But in the United States today, most of the Protestants who make up what some call the Christian right are not fundamentalists, who are more prone to create separatist enclaves, but evangelicals, who engage the culture and share their faith….For example, at the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, in Greenville, S.C., students are not allowed to listen to contemporary music of any kind, even Christian rock or rap. But at Wheaton College in Illinois, a leading evangelical school, contemporary Christian music is regular fare for many students.”

Yes! That’s it! And who would have thunk the New York Times would get it right on religion!

The article notes that “while it is clear that religiosity is on the rise, it is not at all clear that fundamentalism is. Indeed, there may be a rising backlash against violent fundamentalism of any faith….The word ‘fundamentalist’ itself has fallen out of favor among conservative Christians in the United States, not least because it has come to be associated with extremism and violence overseas.” The article notes that fundamentalism was already on the decline inthe 1960s when it was superceded by Billy-Graham style evangelicalism.

Way to be, Gray Lady!