''The Fundamentals: A Testimony To The Truth'' (generally referred to simply as ''The Fundamentals'') is a set of ninety essays published between 1910 and 1915 by the Testimony Publishing Company of Chicago. It was initially published quarterly in twelve volumes, then republished in 1917 by the Bible Institute of Los Angeles as a four-volume set. Baker Books reprinted all four volumes under two covers in 2003. According to its foreword, the publication was designed to be "a new statement of the fundamentals of Christianity". However, its contents reflect a concern with certain theological innovations related to

liberal Christianity Liberal Christianity, also known as liberal theology and historically as Christian modernism (see Catholic modernism and fundamentalist–modernist controversy), is a movement that interprets Christian teaching by prioritizing modern knowle ...

, especially biblical

higher criticism Historical criticism (also known as the historical-critical method (HCM) or higher criticism, in contrast to lower criticism or textual criticism) is a branch of criticism that investigates the origins of ancient texts to understand "the world b ...

. It is widely considered to be the foundation of modern Christian fundamentalism. The project was conceived in 1909 by California businessman Lyman Stewart, the founder of Union Oil and a devout

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

and dispensationalist. He and his brother Milton anonymously provided funds for composing, printing, and distributing the publication. The project had three successive editors: A. C. Dixon, Louis Meyer, and Reuben Archer Torrey. The essays were written by sixty-four different authors, representing most of the major Protestant Christian denominations. It was mailed free of charge to ministers, missionaries, professors of theology,

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

and

YWCA The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is a nonprofit organization with a focus on empowerment, leadership, and rights of women, young women, and girls in more than 100 countries. The World office is currently based in Geneva, Swit ...

secretaries,

Sunday school ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

superintendents, and other Protestant religious workers in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Over three million volumes (250,000 sets) were sent out. The volumes defended classical Protestant doctrines and attacked the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

("Romanism"),

, liberal theology,

socialism Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...

modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

atheism Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the Existence of God, existence of Deity, deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the ...

Christian Science Christian Science is a set of beliefs and practices which are associated with members of the Church of Christ, Scientist. Adherents are commonly known as Christian Scientists or students of Christian Science, and the church is sometimes in ...

Mormonism Mormonism is the theology and religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationism, Restorationist Christianity started by Joseph Smith in Western New York in the 1820s and 1830s. As a label, Mormonism has been applied to va ...

, Millennial Dawn (whose members were sometimes known as Russellites, but which later split into another group, adopting the name

Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian denomination that is an outgrowth of the Bible Student movement founded by Charles Taze Russell in the nineteenth century. The denomination is nontrinitarian, millenarian, and restorationist. Russell co-fou ...

spiritualism Spiritualism may refer to: * Spiritual church movement, a group of Spiritualist churches and denominations historically based in the African-American community * Spiritualism (beliefs), a metaphysical belief that the world is made up of at leas ...

, and what it called

evolutionism Evolutionism is a term used (often derogatorily) to denote the theory of evolution. Its exact meaning has changed over time as the study of evolution has progressed. In the 19th century, it was used to describe the belief that organisms deliberat ...

''The Fundamentals'' essays

Arrangement of the original 12-volume set: * Volume I: ** The Virgin Birth of Christ - James Orr ** The Deity of Christ - Benjamin B. Warfield ** The Purposes of the

Incarnation Incarnation literally means ''embodied in flesh'' or ''taking on flesh''. It is the Conception (biology), conception and the embodiment of a deity or spirit in some earthly form or an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic form of a god. It is used t ...

- G. Campbell Morgan ** The Personality and Deity of the

Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...

- R. A. Torrey ** The Proof of the Living God - Arthur T. Pierson ** History of the

Higher Criticism Historical criticism (also known as the historical-critical method (HCM) or higher criticism, in contrast to lower criticism or textual criticism) is a branch of criticism that investigates the origins of ancient texts to understand "the world b ...

- Dyson Hague ** A Personal Testimony - Howard A. Kelly * Volume II: ** The Testimony of the Monuments to the Truth of the Scriptures - George Frederick Wright ** The Recent Testimony of Archaeology to the Scriptures - Melvin Grove Kyle ** Fallacies of the Higher Criticism - Franklin Johnson ** Christ and Criticism - Robert Anderson **

Modern Philosophy Modern philosophy is philosophy developed in the modern era and associated with modernity. It is not a specific doctrine or school (and thus should not be confused with ''Modernism''), although there are certain assumptions common to much of i ...

- Philip Mauro **

Justification by Faith (or simply ), meaning justification by faith alone, is a soteriological doctrine in Christian theology commonly held to distinguish the Lutheranism, Lutheran and Reformed tradition, Reformed traditions of Protestantism, among others, from th ...

- Handley Carr Glyn Moule ** Tributes to Christ and the Bible by Brainy Men not Known as Active Christians * Volume III: ** Inspiration of the Bible—Definition, Extent, and Proof -

James M. Gray James Martin Gray (May 11, 1851 – September 21, 1935) was a pastor in the Reformed Episcopal Church, a Bible scholar, editor, hymn writer, and the president of Moody Bible Institute, 1904-34. Biography Gray was born in New York City as o ...

** The Moral Glory of Jesus Christ a Proof of Inspiration - William G. Moorehead ** God in Christ the Only Revelation of the Fatherhood of God - Robert E. Speer ** The Testimony of Christian Experience - E. Y. Mullins ** Christianity No Fable - Thomas Whitelaw ** My Personal Experience with the Higher Criticism - James J. Reeve ** The Personal Testimony of Charles T. Studd * Volume IV: ** The

Tabernacle According to the Hebrew Bible, the tabernacle (), also known as the Tent of the Congregation (, also Tent of Meeting), was the portable earthly dwelling of God used by the Israelites from the Exodus until the conquest of Canaan. Moses was instru ...

in the Wilderness: Did it Exist? - David Heagle ** The Testimony of Christ to the

Old Testament The Old Testament (OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible, or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew and occasionally Aramaic writings by the Isr ...

- William Caven ** The Bible and Modern Criticism - F. Bettex ** Science and Christian Faith - James Orr ** A Personal Testimony - Philip Mauro * Volume V: ** Life in the Word - Philip Mauro ** The Scriptures - A. C. Dixon ** The Certainty and Importance of the Bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead - R. A. Torrey ** Observations of the Conversion and Apostleship of St. Paul - Lord Lyttleton (analyzed and condensed by J. L. Campbell) ** A Personal Testimony - H. W. Webb-Peploe * Volume VI: ** The Testimony of

Foreign Missions A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

to the Superintending Providence of God - Arthur T. Pierson ** Is There a God? - Thomas Whitelaw **

Sin In religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law or a law of the deities. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered ...

and Judgment to Come - Robert Anderson ** The Atonement - Franklin Johnson ** The God-Man - John Stock ** The Early Narratives of Genesis - James Orr ** The Person and Work of Jesus Christ - John L. Nuelsen ** The Hope of the Church - John McNicol * Volume VII: ** The Passing of Evolution - George Frederick Wright ** Inspiration - L. W. Munhall ** The Testimony of the Scriptures to Themselves - George S. Bishop ** Testimony of the Organic Unity of the Bible to its Inspiration - Arthur T. Pierson ** One Isaiah - George L. Robinson ** The

Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th-century BC setting. It is ostensibly a narrative detailing the experiences and Prophecy, prophetic visions of Daniel, a Jewish Babylonian captivity, exile in Babylon ...

- Joseph D. Wilson ** Three Peculiarities of the

Pentateuch The Torah ( , "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. The Torah is also known as the Pentateuch () o ...

- Andrew Craig Robinson ** Millennial Dawn: A Counterfeit of Christianity - William G. Moorehead * Volume VIII: ** Old Testament Criticism and

New Testament The New Testament (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus, as well as events relating to Christianity in the 1st century, first-century Christianit ...

Christianity - W. H. Griffith Thomas ** Evolutionism in the

Pulpit A pulpit is a raised stand for preachers in a Christian church. The origin of the word is the Latin ''pulpitum'' (platform or staging). The traditional pulpit is raised well above the surrounding floor for audibility and visibility, accesse ...

- Anonymous ** Decadence of

Darwinism ''Darwinism'' is a term used to describe a theory of biological evolution developed by the English naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882) and others. The theory states that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural sel ...

- Henry H. Beach ** Paul's Testimony to the Doctrine of Sin - Charles B. Williams ** The Science of Conversion - H. M. Sydenstricker ** The Doctrinal Value of the First Chapters of Genesis - Dyson Hague ** The Knowledge of God - James Burrell ** "Preach the Word" - Howard Crosby ** Mormonism: Its Origin, Characteristics, and Doctrines - R. G. McNiece * Volume IX: ** The True Church - Bishop Ryle ** The Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch - George Frederick Wright ** The Wisdom of this World - A. W. Pitzer ** Holy Scripture and Modern Negations - James Orr ** Salvation by Grace - Thomas Spurgeon ** Divine Efficacy of

Prayer File:Prayers-collage.png, 300px, alt=Collage of various religionists praying – Clickable Image, Collage of various religionists praying ''(Clickable image – use cursor to identify.)'' rect 0 0 1000 1000 Shinto festivalgoer praying in front ...

- Arthur T. Pierson ** What Christ Teaches Concerning Future Retribution - William C. Procter ** A Message from Missions - Charles A. Bowen ** Eddyism: Commonly Called Christian Science - Maurice E. Wilson * Volume X: ** Why Save the

Lord's Day In Christianity, the Lord's Day refers to Sunday, the traditional day of communal worship. It is the first day of the week in the Hebrew calendar and traditional Christian calendars. It is observed by most Christians as the weekly memorial of the ...

? - Daniel Hoffman Martin ** The Internal Evidence of the Fourth Gospel - Canon G. Osborne Troop ** The Nature of Regeneration - Thomas Boston ** Regeneration—Conversion—Reformation - George W. Lasher ** Our Lord's Teachings About

Money Money is any item or verifiable record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts, such as taxes, in a particular country or socio-economic context. The primary functions which distinguish money are: m ...

- Arthur T. Pierson **

Satan Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...

and His Kingdom - Mrs. Jessie Penn-Lewis ** The Holy Spirit and the Sons of God - W. J. Erdman **

Consecration Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...

- Henry W. Frost ** The Apologetic Value of Paul's Epistles - E.J. Stobo ** What the Bible Contains for the Believer - George F. Pentecost ** Modern Spiritualism Briefly Tested by Scripture - Algernon J. Pollock * Volume XI: ** The Biblical Conception of Sin - Thomas Whitelaw ** At-One-Ment by Propitiation - Dyson Hague ** The Grace of God - C. I. Scofield ** Fulfilled Prophecy A Potent Argument for the Bible - Arno C. Gaebelein ** The Coming of Christ - Charles R. Erdman ** Is Romanism Christianity? - T. W. Medhurst ** Rome, The Antagonist of the Nation - J. M. Foster * Volume XII: ** Doctrines that Must be Emphasized in Successful

Evangelism Evangelism, or witnessing, is the act of sharing the Christian gospel, the message and teachings of Jesus Christ. It is typically done with the intention of converting others to Christianity. Evangelism can take several forms, such as persona ...

- L. W. Munhall ** Pastoral and Personal Evangelism, or Winning Men to Christ One-by-One - John Timothy Stone ** The

Sunday School ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

's True Evangelism - Charles Gallaudet Trumbull ** Foreign Missions or World-Wide Evangelism - Robert E. Speer ** What Missionary Motives Should Prevail? - Henry W. Frost ** The Place of Prayer in Evangelism - R. A. Torrey ** The Church and Socialism - Charles R. Erdman ** The Fifteen Books Most Indispensable for the Minister (Christianity), Minister or the Christian Worker

References

Online texts

* The Fundamentals, in the 12-volume scheme: *
Volumes I-VII
multiple formats at archive.org *
Volume IV-IX
page images at HathiTrust *
Volume X
multiple formats at archive.org *
Volume XI
multiple formats at archive.org *
Volume XII
page images at HathiTrust *Torrey's 4 volume set (downloadable PDFs) at Northwestern Theological Seminary
Volume 1Volume 2Volume 3Volume 4

External links

The Fundamentals
on ''Theopedia'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Fundamentals 1910 non-fiction books 1910 anthologies Christian fundamentalism Essay anthologies

''The Fundamentals'' essays

References

Online texts

Further reading

External links