Historical antecedents to modern-day Christian fundamentalism

as I understood you, you were asking how a historical account can actually be a metaphor. I gave an example, specifically, the Silmarillion, the Hobbit, and tLotR. They are the history of middle earth, and yet, it's al just a fictional story that can be interpreted as a gigantic metaphor (esp. LotR). Not all historical accounts are fiction, though. One that comes to mind in Thucydides' Peloponessian War.one problem with your list, the Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire--it is a history of the Roman Empire, which undoubtedly happened (the facts presented in that history may well be wrong, at least some--it's over fifty years, and new research has happened on the subject).

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The key is that there is external and independant confirmation of the Roman Empire and the fact that it fell. There is little, infact almost no confirmation of the events in the Bible and absolute refutation of many of the events.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

My point exactly. Fundamentalists looked back at the tradition they inherited, then accepted, reinterpreted or rejected aspects of it according to their values.Fundamentalism is not unique. All religious movements look back at tradition and accept, reinterpret, and reject aspects based on their values._Recommended:
Jaroslav Pelikan. 'Jesus Through the Centuries.'
_Edited by Archer Opterix, : Added reference.

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ArcherAll species are transitional.

Edited by AdminPD, : Added Purple Box

Early Christian writers were quick to adopt certain European prophesies, the oldest being the Sibylle (or Tiburtina in Greek) to affirm their beliefs. Versions of these prophesies continued into the middle ages, but the most enduring was the Tibertine Sibylle, from where the anti-semitic Blood Libel originated. Whilst this prophecy was compiled in the fourth-century, this prophecy also foretold future events which have now been incorporated into Christian teaching.Early Christiantians incorporated pagan beliefs into their religion to win them over. Chartres cathedral was built on a Roman temple site, the ebony pagan female figure found there was adopted as the "Black Madonna". People were informed that they had in fact being praying to the Madonna, albeit unaware of it. In medieval churches, the bosses on the ceilings, sculpted vinery along the pillars, and even the gargoyles, of which some are downright obscene, come from pagan, pre-existing beliefs.

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Lucy