News from Apocalypse Religious Fundamentalism in the Contemporary

“News from Apocalypse: Religious Fundamentalism in the Contemporary World”

How would you define “fundamentalism”? Brainstorming

• Religious concept? • Political concept?

• Examples of fundamentalist movements?

• Examples of fundamentalist groups?

What are your sources for the definition and understanding of fundamentalism?

• Media? - TV? (news, talk shows, documentary, …) - Papers? (online, traditional press, magazines, …) - The Internet? (websites, blogs, social networks, …)

What are your sources for the definition and understanding of fundamentalism? • Entertainemnt industry? • TV? • Movies? • Videogames?

What are your sources for the definition and understanding of fundamentalism? • School? • University? • Friends/classmates? • Family?

Working on a definiton Fundamentalism The belief in old and traditional forms of religion, or the belief that what is written in a holy book, such as the Christian Bible, is completely true (Cambridge Dictionary)

Working on a definiton Fundamentalism 1. the practice of following very strictly the basic rules and teachings of any religion 2. (in Christianity) the belief that everything that is written in the Bible is completely true (Oxford dictionary)

Working on a definiton Fundamentalism 1: a often capitalized : a movement in 20 th century Protestantism emphasizing the literally interpreted Bible as fundamental to Christian life and teaching b : the beliefs of this movement c : adherence to such beliefs

2: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles ”Islamic fundamentalism”, ”political fundame ntalism” First Known Use of FUNDAMENTALISM: 1922 (Merriam-Webster)

Definition: Fundamentalism is a religious position typically characterized by a rigid adherence to what are perceived to be the most basic and traditional principles and beliefs of that religion. (Source: About. com)

Origin: Early 20 th-century North America -Publication of The Fundamentals: A Testimony of the Truth (1910 -1912) - 12 pamphlets - rejection of the liberal “modernist” trend among mainline Protestant churches - biblical higher criticism - rejection of most modern scientific findings/reinterpretation of science to “fit” their view of the Bible - “literal” interpretation of the Bible

Type of militantly conservative religious movement characterized by the advocacy of strict conformity to sacred texts. Once used exclusively to refer to American Protestants who insisted on the inerrancy of the Bible, the term fundamentalism was applied more broadly beginning in the late 20 th century to a wide variety of religious movements. Indeed, in the broad sense of the term, many of the major religions of the world may be said to have fundamentalist movements. (Britannica. com)

The Fundamentalism Project (1991 -1995) Family “resemblances” among fundamentalist movements: • Religious idealism as foundation of personal and comunity identity • Truth as revealed and unified • Intentional “scandal” (challenge to mainstream ideas)

The Fundamentalism Project (1991 -1995) • Cosmic struggle as the framework of interpretation for historical events • Demonization of opposition • Traditions to be stresed and defended are selectively chosen • Power positions almost always occupied by men

The Fundamentalism Project (1991 -1995) • Primary concern is the role of religion in society • Stress on dualism • Absolutism and inerrancy of their revealed sources

Criticism: • Many of the movements categorized as fundamentalist seem to be motivated less by the rejection of modernity than by social, ethnic, and nationalistic grievances. • “Modernity” is a vague term.

Criticism: • Inappropriate use the term fundamentalism (American Protestantism) to describe movements in other religions, particularly non-Western ones. • Negative connotations of the term fundamentalism (bigotry, extremism, and fanaticism) make it unsuitable as a category of scholarly analysis.

Yet: For some scholars the negative connotations of fundamentalism aptly describes these movements: • attempts to overthrow national governments • imposition of particular forms of worship • violation of widely recognized human rights.