POS 254 Political Ideologies
Fundamentalism and the Enlightenment
Fundamentalism: A tendency or strategy to reclaim a sacred tradition that is to be reinstated as an antidote for a society that has strayed from its cultural moorings.
Characteristics of fundamentalism1. Charismatic and authoritarian leadership
2. A disciplined inner core of adherents
3. A rigorous social and moral code for all followers
4. Sets and maintains boundaries between followers and others. These boundaries can include dress, religious or cultural practices, and other visual symbols.
5. Actively seeks converts
6. Seeks a comprehensive reconstruction of society
Sources: Marty and Appleby, The Fundamentalist Project volume IV; Hadden and Shupe, “Secularization and Fundamentalism Reconsidered”
Fundamentalism and Enlightenment ideals
| Enlightenment ideals | The fundamentalist critique |
| Individual autonomy | Individual subordinated to God |
| Reason | Faith |
| Universalism , tolerance | God is absolute truth |
| Progress | Apocalyptic |
| Secularism | Faith at the center of government and society |
| Importance of economics | Capitalist; economics subordinated to faith |
| Popular government | Government in accordance with God, can be democratic or not |
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