RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM
Religious fundamentalism is a creature of the modern world, emerging during the 1970s and 1980s.
It’s a style of political thought, rather than a collection of political ideas and values. The term
fundamentalism is very controversial and that’s why some versions of religious fundamentalism have been
associated with violence, intolerance and repression, but at the same time, others have supported the law
abiding and peaceful behaviour. This tendency was intensified by the collapse of communism, which
encouraged many in the developed west to believe that religious fundamentalism (especially Islamic
fundamentalism), had displaces Marxism as the principle threat to world order
The religious core of the religious fundamentalism is the rejection of the distinction between religion
and politics. Khomeini said that politics is religion. Fundamentalism seeks to overthrow secularism and end
the confinement of religion to the private sphere. Fundamentalists see religion as a body of unchallengeable
principles that dictate the organisation of society, economy and the political life. In some cases, these
fundamental principles are derived from the content of sacred texts, reflecting a belief in scriptural
literalism .
There are 2 responses to the perceived corruption of the secular public realm. The first is ‘passive
fundamentalism’, which takes the route of _____ and attempts to construct a community of believers,
untainted by the larger society (Amish in USA, ultra-orthodox Jews in Israel). The second response is
‘active’ fundamentalism, which takes the route of opposition and combat, and it should be considered an
ideology on the ground that is adopts overly political stance.
Religious fundamentalism can be used as a means of achieving comprehensive political renewal, which is
attractive to marginalised people. The 3 main forms of fundamentalism are: Islamic, Christian and Other.
The most politically significant fundamentalism is the Islamic. Islam is the second biggest and
fastest spreading religion. Throughout the history of Islam, there has been conflict between religion and
politics. Islamic fundamentalists wish to establish the primacy of religion over politics. In practice this means
the founding of an ‘Islamic state’, a theocracy ruled by spiritual rather than temporal authority, and applying
the divine Islamic law (Shari’a) based upon principles that are expressed in the Quran. The shari’a lays down
a code for legal and right behaviour including a system of punishment.
In 1928 in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood was formed by Hasan al Bana, trying to revitalise the corrupted
islamic faith and providing the faithful with an Islamic political voice
In 1979 a revolution brought by Khomeini, led Iran to proclaim itself as the ‘Islamic Republic’. His goal as
to get rid of the outside oppresion, meaning the 2 twin ____ USA and Soviet Union.
In the 1990’s, Al-Qaeda was a popular jihadist group led by Bin Laden. For these groups, the commitement
to Islam takes a form of jihad, understood as a holy war, carried particularly against USA and Israel. It’s
portrayed by terrorism and suicide attacks.
A distinctive Sunni and Shia versions of political Islam have been developed and their common themes can
be identified with Islamism because they include ideas that society should be reconstructed in line with the
religious principles of Islam, and that the modern secular statehood should be replaced by the Islamic state
Christianity is the worlds largest reigion. From it’s origins in Palestine, it spread via the Roman
Empire throughout Europe and later to America. It began as a movement within Judaism. I was distinguished
by the belief that Jesus was the messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, and his life and teachings are
described in the New Testament. There are 3 main divisions Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. Christian
fundamentalism has been expressed in the USA through the emrgence of the new Christian Right, whose
emphasis on the traditional values, often amounts to a ____ point of social conservatism
