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Fundamorphosis: How I Left Fundamentalism But Didn't Lose My Faith
Fundamorphosis is the story of how Robb Ryerse went from being a fundamentalist pastor to an emergent church planter. When the answers he’d always been taught stopped resonating with him, Robb couldn’t in good conscience go on perpetuating the traditions and beliefs of his church.
Fundamorphosis details the struggle of saying goodbye to the church he had always known. But more than just deconstructing fundamentalism, Fundamorphosis provides a constructive look at the shape Robb’s beliefs now take: authentic, gracious, optimistic, and unfinished.
Fundamorphosis is a story in which many will be able to find themselves. It’s a thought-provoking roadmap for those who are in the midst of their own fundamorphosis.
Fundamorphosis details the struggle of saying goodbye to the church he had always known. But more than just deconstructing fundamentalism, Fundamorphosis provides a constructive look at the shape Robb’s beliefs now take: authentic, gracious, optimistic, and unfinished.
Fundamorphosis is a story in which many will be able to find themselves. It’s a thought-provoking roadmap for those who are in the midst of their own fundamorphosis.
210 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2012
3 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
About the author
Robb Ryerse
5 books18 followersRobb is the copastor of Vintage Fellowship, a progressive evangelical church in Fayetteville Arkansas. He serves as the Executive Director of Brand New Congress and the Political Director of Vote Common Good. In 2018, Robb ran for United State Congress in the Republican primary in Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District.
He lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife Vanessa and four children.
Robb is a graduate of Missio Seminary in Philadelphia PA and Clarks Summit University in Clarks Summit PA.
He is the author of Running For Our Lives: A Story of Faith, Politics and the Common Good and Fundamorphosis: How I Left Fundamentalism But Didn’t Lose My Faith.
He lives in Northwest Arkansas with his wife Vanessa and four children.
Robb is a graduate of Missio Seminary in Philadelphia PA and Clarks Summit University in Clarks Summit PA.
He is the author of Running For Our Lives: A Story of Faith, Politics and the Common Good and Fundamorphosis: How I Left Fundamentalism But Didn’t Lose My Faith.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 5, 2025
Growing-up in a fundamentalist household, author Robb Ryerse followed those teachings and training to become a pastor at a fundamentalist church. However, his beliefs and understandings of Jesus' message began changing, and after attempting to nudge the church he pastored towards a more progressive and open stance, he ultimately decided he could no longer live his vocation within the fundamentalist setting.
In Fundamorphosis, he tells his story of why and how he made the transition away from fundamentalism and planted a new, more open and more accepting church. He still clings to many of the tenets of the faith, explaining how he "left fundamentalism but didn't lose my faith".
For anyone having doubts about the beliefs and practices of fundamentalism Christianity, this short, easy-to-read book is worth investigating.
In Fundamorphosis, he tells his story of why and how he made the transition away from fundamentalism and planted a new, more open and more accepting church. He still clings to many of the tenets of the faith, explaining how he "left fundamentalism but didn't lose my faith".
For anyone having doubts about the beliefs and practices of fundamentalism Christianity, this short, easy-to-read book is worth investigating.
July 16, 2024
Great job by Robb. I think this book would be a great help for anyone who is On a path away from fundamentalism.
June 18, 2013
Reviewing a book by anyone is an interesting endeavor. No matter what I, the reviewer thinks of the book, it is deeply personal for the author. It’s almost a living, breathing entity for the author. It’s even more complicated when you know the author.
So full disclosure: I know Robb. Well, actually I knew him in college. The truth is that I wasn’t sure I liked him and I’m pretty sure that it was a mutual thing. I thought he was a lot of the things that he correctly calls out in the book.
It turns out that he was wrestling with many of the same things that I was in that fundamentalist Bible college that we were both attending.
With all of that said, I really enjoyed this book. I also think Robb and I have come to appreciate each other, perhaps because of the shared struggle.
One of the concerns that I have with the emergent movement is that in many of the writings from it, I don’t really see much of a difference in the fundamentalism they are leaving and critiquing. I have found many emergent to be as fundamentalist as those they rightfully decry.
Robb does not do that in this book.
He lays down his fundamentalist street cred and then spins his story from that life to his current life and beliefs.
He tells some stories that illustrate his point that are both laughable because it’s hard to believe that someone would do those things and sad because it’s so easy to believe that someone would do those things if you lived in that environment.
He correctly draws some much-needed attention to problems within the movement of fundamentalism.
In my mind, the beautiful part of this book is that for the most part, I believe he does it without judging.
In fact, on some of the issues he wrestles with, I am rather certain that I would come to a different conclusion and I think he would be OK with it. We could still share bread and wine.
This is the greatest strength of this book. He asks for room to disagree and he allows room for others to disagree with him.
If you’ve grown up in the fundamentalist movement and you’ve been hurt by it, this is a book for you. If you’ve grown up in the movement and you still consider it your theological home, this is a book for you because it will force you to think through some things.
One area where the book wandered a little for me was that it became something of a theological primer in some areas. But again, it works (you can speed read those sections) as it leads him to explain his theological grounding.
He explains his circles of theology and how they impact his living. Which brings up a second strength of the book. It actually stresses that theology should impact living. This is a truth that seems to get a lot of head nods and verbal assents, but very little actual implementation in most theological circles on all ends of the spectrum.
If you are interested in the idea of theology this is a book that will interest you.
If you are interested in the idea of how people change and evolve, this will interest you. If you are looking for a book that totally agrees with everything you think, it's probably best to move on and look elsewhere.
I would recommend it as an excellent, though provoking idea starter.
So full disclosure: I know Robb. Well, actually I knew him in college. The truth is that I wasn’t sure I liked him and I’m pretty sure that it was a mutual thing. I thought he was a lot of the things that he correctly calls out in the book.
It turns out that he was wrestling with many of the same things that I was in that fundamentalist Bible college that we were both attending.
With all of that said, I really enjoyed this book. I also think Robb and I have come to appreciate each other, perhaps because of the shared struggle.
One of the concerns that I have with the emergent movement is that in many of the writings from it, I don’t really see much of a difference in the fundamentalism they are leaving and critiquing. I have found many emergent to be as fundamentalist as those they rightfully decry.
Robb does not do that in this book.
He lays down his fundamentalist street cred and then spins his story from that life to his current life and beliefs.
He tells some stories that illustrate his point that are both laughable because it’s hard to believe that someone would do those things and sad because it’s so easy to believe that someone would do those things if you lived in that environment.
He correctly draws some much-needed attention to problems within the movement of fundamentalism.
In my mind, the beautiful part of this book is that for the most part, I believe he does it without judging.
In fact, on some of the issues he wrestles with, I am rather certain that I would come to a different conclusion and I think he would be OK with it. We could still share bread and wine.
This is the greatest strength of this book. He asks for room to disagree and he allows room for others to disagree with him.
If you’ve grown up in the fundamentalist movement and you’ve been hurt by it, this is a book for you. If you’ve grown up in the movement and you still consider it your theological home, this is a book for you because it will force you to think through some things.
One area where the book wandered a little for me was that it became something of a theological primer in some areas. But again, it works (you can speed read those sections) as it leads him to explain his theological grounding.
He explains his circles of theology and how they impact his living. Which brings up a second strength of the book. It actually stresses that theology should impact living. This is a truth that seems to get a lot of head nods and verbal assents, but very little actual implementation in most theological circles on all ends of the spectrum.
If you are interested in the idea of theology this is a book that will interest you.
If you are interested in the idea of how people change and evolve, this will interest you. If you are looking for a book that totally agrees with everything you think, it's probably best to move on and look elsewhere.
I would recommend it as an excellent, though provoking idea starter.
August 27, 2013
It was hard to give this book 3 stars. I'd have loved to give it 4, but despite the message, I was distracted a few too many times by grammar or spelling errors. Something I assumed was the publishers responsibility, and possibly edited into error by them.
Anyways, the last 3rd of the book was what I found the most enlightening and real. When Robb talked theology, story, and tied in his experiences is really when I felt the book take on an autobiographical feel. I think he writes truthfully of his experiences of fundamentalism, without unnecessary prejudice. All in all, a good book, the latter half really encourages self evaluation, I thought. Which I have found extremely refreshing, the honesty and openness of emerging authors and pastors.
Anyways, the last 3rd of the book was what I found the most enlightening and real. When Robb talked theology, story, and tied in his experiences is really when I felt the book take on an autobiographical feel. I think he writes truthfully of his experiences of fundamentalism, without unnecessary prejudice. All in all, a good book, the latter half really encourages self evaluation, I thought. Which I have found extremely refreshing, the honesty and openness of emerging authors and pastors.
December 18, 2012
I enjoyed this book and could relate to much of what he was saying. However, my reaction was not nearly as severe as his was to what we see as wrong with the stripe of fundamentalism he wrote about. He is not as radical as I think he wants people to think. Nor is he as emergent as he would like to think himself.
April 22, 2013
I liked this book. It will mean more to a reader who was raised in a fundamentalist baptist background and is no longer a member of the fundamentalist community. Ryerse explains why he left fundamentalism and explains why Christians should consider focusing on Jesus instead of majoring on the minors of Christendom.
August 15, 2013
This book captures the transformation that has been going on in Christians for centuries. The symbol of Christianity ought to be the butterfly.
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December 28, 2012
Getting Kindle version shortly
March 17, 2013
This author will be on the Drew Marshall show this Saturday, 1/12/2013.
February 26, 2013
Brilliant! Mr Ryerse articulates the problems of fundamentalism in a clear and precise way. For those who are on the same journey this book will be a companion of optimism and hope!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews