Fundamentalism

Some people follow very strict rules. They want to live in old ways. They stick to what they believe. This helps them feel close to their group.

Many people follow a holy book. They believe every word is true. They want to go back to the past. They feel their old ways are best.

This can lead to big changes. Some groups want to change their lands. They may fight with others. This can cause tension in many places.

Some people use this word to be mean. They use it to label others. It can be used in politics too. It is a very big idea.

People have many different views on this. Some people agree with these rules. Others do not. It is a way many people live.

Fundamentalism is a way some people follow their beliefs. They follow strict rules. They often take their holy books very literally. This means they believe every word is exactly true. Many followers want to return to an older way of life. They feel that the world has moved away from what is right.

This idea appears in many different faiths. In Christianity, it started in the United States. Some groups wanted to protect five core beliefs. These include the miracles of Jesus and the resurrection. In Islam, the term became common after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Some people also use the word to talk about Buddhism. In places like Myanmar and Sri Lanka, these views have caused tension between groups.

Fundamentalism can also be found in politics. People sometimes use the word to label others. It can be used as a mean name for an opponent. Because of this, the word is not always neutral. Some people see it as a way to keep traditions safe. Others see it as a way to fight against new ideas.

Fundamentalism describes a way some people follow their beliefs. These individuals or groups often follow a very strict way of thinking. They may apply a literal interpretation to their holy books or core ideas. This means they believe every word is exactly as it is written. Many followers want to return to an older, ideal way of life. They feel that modern society has strayed from the correct path. Some people use this word to describe a focus on purity. It can also be used to separate an "in-group" from an "out-group." Because of this, the word is not always used in a neutral way. It can sometimes be used as a negative label for others.

In the history of Christianity, this movement grew in the United States. It began with conservative teachers at Princeton Theological Seminary in the late 1800s. By 1910 to 1920, it spread to groups like the Baptists. The movement wanted to protect core beliefs against new, modern ideas. A collection of twelve pamphlets called "The Fundamentals" helped build this foundation. In 1910, the Presbyterian Church identified five specific core beliefs. These included the miracles of Jesus and his bodily resurrection.

Fundamentalism appears in many different religious traditions around the world. In Islam, the term became common after the Iranian Revolution in 1979. Before that, groups like the Kharijites in the 7th century had very extreme views. In Buddhism, there are examples in many different branches. In Myanmar, tensions have risen between Buddhist majorities and Muslim minorities. Similar tensions have been seen in Sri Lanka. In Japan, some followers of the Nichiren sect use a method called shakubuku. This involves strongly telling others that their beliefs are wrong.

Some traditions have a harder time defining these strict views. For example, Hinduism is very diverse and has no single governing body. Many Hindus believe that many different ideas can all be true. Some scholars say this makes religious fundamentalism hard to find in Hinduism. Others point to the rise of Hindu nationalism in India as evidence. In the Americas, some Native American movements used these ideas to return to tradition. These included the Ghost Dance and the Pueblo Revolt.

Today, people also use the word in the world of politics. It is often linked to social conservatism and right-wing ideas. Some people use the term to describe very strong political views. This can include debates about school prayer or other social rules. On the other hand, some call certain left-wing ideas fundamentalist too. Because people use the word to criticize their opponents, it is very flexible. A group might be called "freedom fighters" one year and something else later.

Fundamentalism describes a specific tendency found among certain groups and individuals. It is characterized by a strict, literal interpretation of scriptures, dogmas, or ideologies. Followers often emphasize a clear distinction between an "in-group" and an "out-group." This distinction frequently leads to a strong focus on maintaining a sense of purity. Many advocates of fundamentalism desire to return to a previous ideal. They believe that society or their specific tradition has strayed from these original truths. While often used in a religious context, the term can also be applied to political or secular ideologies. Because of this, the label is sometimes used as a pejorative, or a negative criticism, rather than a neutral description.

In the context of religion, scholars often view fundamentalism as a modern phenomenon. It is seen as a reaction against modernism, secularism, and liberal tendencies in society. By reinterpreting religion through these modern parameters, fundamentalists seek to reify or make their specific traditions feel solid and unchanging. This process often happens when people perceive modern changes as foreign to their heritage. The movement is not just about following old rules. It is a way of responding to a changing world by asserting a specific, unyielding identity. This identity is built upon what are considered to be irreducible, or non-negotiable, core beliefs.

Christian fundamentalism provides a clear example of how these movements develop. In the United States, the movement began among conservative Presbyterian theologians at Princeton Theological Seminary during the late 19th century. It expanded to include Baptists and other denominations between 1910 and 1920. The movement sought to defend traditional theology against "higher criticism" and liberal theology. A key foundation was a collection of twelve pamphlets titled "The Fundamentals," published between 1910 and 1915 by Milton and Lyman Stewart. In 1910, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church identified five specific core tenets. These included the biblical inspiration and infallibility of scripture, the Virgin birth of Jesus, the atonement for sin through Christ's death, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the historical reality of his miracles.

Islamic fundamentalism has a long history that stretches back to the 7th century. During that time, a group known as the Kharijites developed extreme doctrines that separated them from mainstream Shia and Sunni Muslims. They practiced a radical approach called "takfir," which involved declaring other Muslims to be unbelievers. In more recent history, the 1979 Iranian Revolution served as a major turning point for the term. Western media used the word "fundamentalist" to explain the ideology of Ayatollah Khomeini to global audiences. This created an analogy to American Christian fundamentalism. Today, different versions of Islamic fundamentalism exist, such as the Salafi-Wahhabi version, which is promoted globally through financing from countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Pakistan.

Buddhism also shows various forms of fundamentalist tendencies across its three main branches: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. In Myanmar, tensions have occurred between the Buddhist majority and Muslim minorities, including the 2013 riots and actions related to the Rohingya genocide from 2016 onwards. Similar tensions involving Muslim minorities have been reported in Sri Lanka during 2014 and 2018. In Japan, some members of the Mahayana Nichiren sect practice "shakubuku." This is a method of proselytizing that involves the strong condemnation of other sects as being evil or deficient. In the Vajrayana tradition, the 19th-century Tibetan lama Pabongkhapa used the deity Dorje Shugden to oppose the inclusive Rimé movement. He used the deity to protect the Gelug tradition from being mixed with other practices.

Some religious traditions are harder to categorize because of their inherent diversity. Hinduism is a complex example because it lacks a single governing body, a central prophet, or one binding holy book. Followers can hold many different views, ranging from monotheism to atheism. Because of this, some scholars argue that true religious fundamentalism is difficult to find in Hinduism. However, others point to the rise of "Hindutva," or Hindu nationalism, as evidence of fundamentalist trends in India. Similarly, in the Americas, some scholars view certain Native American revitalization movements as fundamentalist. These movements, such as the Pueblo Revolt of the 1680s or the Ghost Dance in 1869, sought to reject modern state changes in favor of traditional ways.

Finally, the concept of fundamentalism has moved into the realm of modern politics. It is frequently associated with right-wing conservative ideology and social conservatism. This often involves supporting policies like school prayer while opposing abortion or LGBT rights. Conversely, some critics use the term to describe left-wing or liberal ideologies, such as certain forms of "wokeness." The term is highly flexible and is often used by political groups to criticize their opponents. A group's label can change based on political interests; for example, the Afghan mujahiddin were called "freedom fighters" by Americans in the 1980s, but the term used for them has changed over time. This shows that "fundamentalism" is often as much about political perspective as it is about belief.