fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is a term used to describe religious movements that seek to preserve what adherents consider the essential tenets of their faith by maintaining strict doctrinal conformity, moral codes, and liturgical practices. Though the term has various uses, it is commonly associated with conservative religious streams that resist modern liberalism, secular science, and pluralist society. The modern label originated in early 20th-century Protestant Christianity in the United States, where a set of published essays known as The Fundamentals defended biblical inerrancy, the virgin birth, the atonement, the Resurrection, and miracles against liberal theology.

Core features include authority vested in sacred texts, doctrinal inerrancy or infallibility, a commitment to historic creeds or confessions, and a tendency toward literal interpretation. Fundamentalist movements often emphasize social and cultural boundaries, disciplined communities, and organized leadership. While rooted in religious conviction, they frequently engage in political and educational debates as part of public life, sometimes advocating for the restoration of what they consider traditional social orders.

Global contexts show variation. Christian fundamentalism has influenced debates over evolution, gender roles, and religious education in North America and parts of Africa and Asia. In other faiths, movements described as fundamentalist may focus on purist reform, political power, or ethnic identity, such as Islamic, Hindu, or Jewish groups. The term is sometimes used broadly, but scholars distinguish between religious revival, reform movements, and extremism or violence.

Critics argue that fundamentalism can resist pluralism and science, promote intolerance, and exclude marginalized groups. Supporters contend it offers moral clarity and social cohesion. Because the term covers diverse movements with different goals and methods, precision is needed when describing particular groups. In scholarship, fundamentalism is often analyzed as a response to modernization, modernity, and geopolitical change rather than a single, uniform phenomenon.