The Popularity of Fundamentalism Across the World - Essay Example

Fundamentalism Introduction Fundamentalism is a term commonly used in different advertisement platforms, in which it is required, that conventional principles are adhered to, based on the understanding of modern theology. Initially, the term was only used in various religious movements such as Protestantism; however, it has come to be used by different groups, other than those in religion. In early 20th century, fundamentalism enhanced significantly through the protestant community of the United States in which the protestant supporters developed classical theological believes of Christianity with roots in the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy (Fisher and Wise 14). With such a background information, this paper goes ahead to analyze fundamentalism, by addressing aspects of its past, present, and future, incorporating its application both in Christianity and Islam. Fundamentalism, since its establishment, has had two broad perspectives; global fundamentalism and historic fundamentalism during its development in the late 19th century and establishment in early 20th century. Generic fundamentalism is a worldwide global movement with the mandate of making known institutionalized aspects that have been concealed by the modernized life. Ideally, fundamentalism plays a substantive role in minimizing the distancing of religious aspects from those of the world and state, considering that during its establishment, cultural and social patterns was rooted in the certain religious perspectives. This, therefore, provides for distinct roles for various individuals and groups such as clergies, women, and men. In historical fundamentalism, similar perspectives are shared as those of generic fundamentalism, and has gone ahead to enhance awareness among individuals such as influencing world religions (Fisher and Wise 26). Fundamentalism has its roots in the United States from where it began as an aspect of liberal and progressive views that were held by the Americans in the 19th century (Fisher and Wise 42). One of the greatest contributing views held by these individuals against the scholars who stood strong in criticizing the Bible was that Moses never authored the first five books of the Bible. Such perspectives started during the Niagara Conference in which they discussed that it was time that human went back to the social ideals as intended by God, in which every individual, be it male or female, parent or child, had distinct roles to accomplish, as such a perspective was built on God’s creation. It is based on such aspects that the name fundamentally was originally derived, in the ideology that shift towards the modern life should be abolished and people return to the ‘fundamentals’ of what the Christian teaching was based on (Fisher and Wise 18). The movement began during the time of Charles Darwin, when he stated that life originated from the process of Natural selection, a view that contradicts Biblical creation account and against God’s perspective on creation. The Fundamentalist movement would later separate into two entities, one the conservatives who remained as the title holders of the name Fundamentalists and the other entity, which largely, had moderate views on various issues of the Fundamentalists movement and named themselves the Evangelists. On various occasions, the Evangelists’ deeds were seen an inappropriate by the Fundamentalists entity, such as the Pentecostal and the charismatic revivals conducted after the end of World War II (Fisher and Wise 33). These aspects led to the coming into existence of the Modern Fundamentalism, also known as Fundamentalism today. Based on the drift that was occurring in the Fundamentalism movement over the years, today numerous changes that have occurred, which have contributed significantly towards influencing Fundamentalism. Globalization has played a crucial role in integrating cultures, thereby enhancing the manner in which capitalism accumulation occurs. Ideally, this aspect has contributed significantly towards changing the lifestyles of various individuals, majorly towards abandoning of the traditions and cultures (Fisher and Wise 45). In addressing the aspect of Fundamentalism today, major perspectives viewed are the effects that the Third World where the substantive influence has been experienced as well as the contribution caused by the growth of Fundamentalism in these regions. These include regions in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Today, numerous people have moved to the urban centers, with higher populations experienced in slums and shantytowns. Considering the backgrounds from which such individuals have been brought up in, the urban life tend to cause certain unstable conditions, a factor that contributes towards these individuals turning to Fundamentalism for stability (Fisher and Wise 58). Because a majority of the instability occurring in these Third World countries is as a contribution of the Imperial Capitalists influenced by Western dominance, the Fundamentalists who tend to contradict these Western behaviors mainly aligned towards domination and corruption, making them the best alternative to stability. The Fundamentalists do so by establishing an influence towards returning to the traditional customs, values, and relations, which the Capital Imperialists abandon. With continuous advocacy towards returning to the traditional ways, values, and cultures, Fundamentalism has significantly increased in dominance in many regions globally but most especially in the Third World nations (Fisher and Wise 77). Despite the wide spread and significant changes of Fundamentalism into various regions around the world, the movement has had a fair share of its challenges and critics. To many anti-Fundamentalism, mostly especially in the America, have stated that with Fundamentalism, America is indeed under infection of anti-intellectualism, an aspect that contributes to the fact that Fundamentalists never accept the fact that the worldview on certain aspects can actually mutate from one perspective to the other (Fisher and Wise 102). The critics believe that it is not justifiable for Christian Fundamentalists to view anyone who contradicts their views as an enemy of God. The infection, as the critics state, has taken over the various populations in America and spread into Canada. As it is currently, religious movement has by far overpowered the secular movement, and is currently in control of the globe. The religious dynamic has become so widespread that it is considered as the new order of the land. Such an aspect has been in place since the end of the Cold War. Secular ideologies have increasingly been rejected by the various groups of Christians, Muslims, and Jews from different parts of the world. Based on this perspective, it is ideally true that with time religious nationalism has increasingly become known among a majority of individuals, thereby posing a threat to liberalism (Fisher and Wise 106). Despite a potentially healthy aspect of the religious revival, it is continuously experiencing stiff opposition from the liberals and communists among others. This therefore means that as the war between the two continues, Fundamentalism as a religious movement continues to gain popularity in different regions around the world and hence projecting to an aspect of its increase. Greater world populaces continue aligning towards these fundamental believes of the religious movements with democracy as a crucial expansion tool. Fundamentalism has been applied in different perspectives in both Christianity and Islam. In Christianity, fundamentalism has been in existence since the 19th century into the 20th century as a movement of both the British and American Protestants. This arose mainly due to the aspect of reaction to cultural modernity and liberalism. For many scholars, the Fundamentalists were considered as individuals who were abandoning modern theology for the traditional and culturally rooted doctrines. For decades now, Fundamentalism has changed substantively, with different denominations coming up with varied theologies instead of the establishment of a single denomination with certain specific systematic doctrines (Fisher and Wise 21). Ideally, the existence of many denominations with different theological perspectives has been the greatest aspect of conflict between the liberals against the fundamentalists, as the liberals argue that if it is ideally a single movement then they should ideally have similar direction of movement. In its spread among the Christian denominations, Fundamentalism came in four major streams, Evangelicalism, dispensationalism, fundamentals and modernism, and Biblical inerrancy (Fisher and Wise 109. Evangelicalism arose because of rivals of the first and second awakening in America as well as Methodism that occurred in England. In Christianity, Fundamentalism has established a strong foundation for which ideologies and doctrines are developed and implemented. Like in Christianity, Fundamentalism has had its fair role that it plays in Islam, based on Islam ideologies and a basic vehicle for which the return of Islam traditions, Quran, and Sunna is made. Islam Fundamentalism has its roots in Middle East from where it spread to different regions around the globe mainly through the assistance of various political movements as many of the Western powers mainly used it for championing of political ideologies (Fisher and Wise 88). Despite the variations in Islam, Fundamentalism, it is significantly critical to note that whereas Christian Fundamentalism had no strong restrictions, Islam Fundamentalism required that all Muslims, from whichever background they may come from, are to be Fundamentalists (Fisher and Wise 96). For long periods, the spread of ideologies in Islam increased substantively enhancing its popularity among many nations. Despite the many occurrences in the spread of Islam ideologies, many scholars of Islam Fundamentalism believe that the greatest achievement by this particular movement was the Iranian Islamic revolution that occurred in 1979, considered as a political success of the Islam Fundamentalists. Ideally, Fundamentalism has gained the greatest popularity across the world, despite the heavy criticism that was formed against it. Whether through Islam or Christianity, its popularity has grown over years and ideally, has contributed significantly towards the shaping of our today’s society through the development of mechanisms through which people can associate. Going by its latest statistics, it is evident that Fundamentalism is already in control and already a significant force in control of tomorrow. Work Cited Fisher,Humphreys, and Wise Philip. Fundamentalism. Macon, Ga.: Smyth & Helwys Pub., 2004. Print. Read More