Page 282 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

religious fundamentalism 1583

Origins of Christian
Fundamentalism in the

United States
especially in Saudi Arabia. It is out of this tradition that
Religious fundamentalism appears in a wide vari-
the al-Qaeda movement emerged.
ety of religions: Protestant Christianity, Judaism,
Best known to the West has been the Iranian revolu-
Hinduism, and Islam. Nevertheless, in the United
tion of 1979. It serves as a model of how fundamental-
States today, it is most often associated with reli-
ist movements make their way.The United States–backed
gious groups that are minorities in the United
Shah of Iran presided over a corrupt regime. As popula-
States, and, since the attacks on the World Trade
tion grew and needed resources were not available to all
Center and the Pentagon on September 11,
but the upper classes, resentment developed among
2001, with Islam.
young urban males. So did aspiration and hope.After the
However, religious fundamentalism remains a
shah fell, the exiled Ayatollah Khomeini came back from
strong current among Christians (and other
Paris to reoccupy the land that his followers felt had been
groups) in the United States, and is a powerful
immorally taken over from them. Soon the shah had to
force in all levels (national, state, and local) of
flee, the Khomeini faction grew in power and threat, the
U.S. politics.
United States retreated, and a new pattern of militant,
The term “fundamentalism” can be traced to
revolutionary unrest followed. Whether they are called
pamphlets published around the turn of the
fundamentalist or not, movements like the RSS and the
twentieth century.Authored by evangelical clergy,
Muslim Brotherhood illustrate how the forces develop.
these pamphlets were widely circulated within
They begin as conservative or traditionalist complexes.
the church as a reaction to the rise of Darwinian
They are oppressed (not all fundamentalists are literally
theories about the origin of the universe. In
poor, though many are desperately so). Their enemy is
1920, a journalist and member of the Baptist
seen as a corrupt betrayer of the tradition they believe is
church named Curtis Lee Laws used the term
theirs. No matter what the world thinks, they must act.
“fundamentalism” to designate those who were
Allah will bless them now or, more likely, in eternity.And
ready “to do battle royal for the Fundamentals.”
they will have made a contribution to purifying and
Law was referring to the scriptures, which are
ennobling an often corrupt and repressive regime. Some-
sacred for Christian fundamentalists, who believe
thing similar goes on in fundamentalist movements else-
that the Bible should be understood as literally
where, and in different religions.
true.
As for the future, militant fundamentalisms are likely to
The Reverend Jerry Falwell, one of the preem-
continue to create upheavals of a sort unanticipated at the
inent U.S. evangelists of the late twentieth cen-
end of the Cold War.They resort to terrorism or destabilize
tury, said: “I hope I live to see the day when, as
regimes.At the same time, others run their course and set-
in the early days of our country, we won’t have
tle for somewhat moderated expressions. In almost every
any public schools.The churches will have taken
major religious complex—Christian, Muslim, Jewish,
them over again and Christians will be running
Hindu, and the like—nonviolent fundamentalists will seek
them.What a happy day that will be!” (America
to make their way through efforts to convert others, to out-
Can Be Saved 1979).
vote them,or to influence public policy through means and
This sort of passionate insistence on the unde-
toward ends that they find satisfying.And “modernism” in
niable truth of one’s beliefs is hardly unique:
its many forms, including with its manifestations of plu-
Other traditions similarly claim to be guardians
ralism and relativism will remain the enemy.
of the truth.
Benjamin S. Kerschberg Martin E. Marty
See also Modernity; Pentecostalism