The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to address several aspects of evangelical-fundamentalist life that have good, bad and ugly sides. I’m getting ready to do a longer series on the aesthetics of evangelical-fundamentalist culture, and this is a warm up for the big issues like modesty, patriarchy and homophobia. When I say aesthetics, I mean the actual pictures that evangelical-fundamentalists have in mind when they distinguish good from evil. Although I’m sure they would vigorously deny the superficiality of images, I find that ditching those pictures was a huge part of overcoming the mindset of Christian patriarchy.

Speaking of aesthetics, can anybody help me come up with a better way of saying “evangelical-fundamentalist”? It’s huge and awkward. I’ve steered away from the common amalgam “fundagelical” because it sounds dismissive and disrespectful. I may not respect the beliefs of the Christian patriarchy movement or its broader evangelical culture, but I don’t find it productive to outright mock individuals who are part of it (hey, I was one once!).