Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is a way some groups or people think. They believe very strongly in following important texts word for word. These texts can be scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies. Fundamentalists stick to core ideas and often want to be separate from people who don’t share these beliefs.

The word “fundamentalism” is often used to talk about religion. It means holding onto basic, never-changing beliefs. Scholars think fundamentalism happens when people react to big changes in society or religion. These changes can include secularist, liberal, and ecumenical tendencies. Some people see these changes as a threat to old traditions.

Calling someone a fundamentalist can sometimes sound negative, like calling political views “right-wing” or “left-wing.” This shows the word can be used to criticize more than just describe.

Religious fundamentalism

Main article: Christian fundamentalism

Main article: Islamic fundamentalism

Main article: Jewish fundamentalism

Main article: New Atheism

Religious fundamentalism means having very strong beliefs. People with these beliefs follow sacred texts or traditions very strictly.

In Christianity, this started in the early 1900s in the United States. Leaders wanted to keep traditional beliefs and not change them. They believed in key teachings like the virgin birth of Jesus and that the Bible is completely true.

In Islam, strong beliefs have existed for many centuries in many countries. Followers want to return to what they see as the pure, original form of the religion. Other religions also have similar strong beliefs, where people stick closely to traditional teachings and practices.

Politics

In modern politics, fundamentalism is often linked with right-wing politics, especially social conservatism. Social conservatives usually support policies that match religious fundamentalist views, like school prayer and opposing LGBT rights and abortion. On the other hand, secularism is more common in left-wing or liberal politics.

The term "fundamentalism" is used in many ways in politics. Sometimes, groups use it to describe their opponents, and the meaning can change. For example, some people were once seen as freedom fighters, but later called fundamentalists when opinions changed. The idea of fundamentalism can also apply to strong beliefs in things that aren’t religious, like very strict economic rules.

Criticism

Some people have criticized fundamentalism because it can be hard to understand very old religious texts. They say that because people read these texts, our understanding might have mistakes and may not match the original message.

Other studies have looked at how different personality traits might relate to strong religious beliefs. For example, a study from the University of Edinburgh suggested that certain traits might be linked to higher levels of religious fundamentalism. Influential critics include James Barr on Christian fundamentalism and Bassam Tibi on Islamic fundamentalism.

Use as a label

The Associated Press AP Stylebook says not to call a group "fundamentalist" if they do not use that label themselves. Some teachers agree with this advice. But other teachers use the word to talk about many different religious groups, even if those groups do not like the label, as talked about in the Fundamentalism Project.

According to Tex Sample, it is wrong to just call someone a Muslim, Jewish, or Christian fundamentalist. Their focus on fundamentalism is more important than which religion they belong to.