10 Characteristics of Religious Fundamentalism

Literalist Approach to Religious Text

• Religious fundamentalism requires a literal interpretation of the faith's text. Whereas contemporary and moderate religious groups may interpret and apply a holy text in a fluid manner, fundamentalists generally take the text at face value, interpreting every verse as absolute truth. Fundamentalism was first used in the 1920s to describe evangelical Protestants who believe the Bible is the infallible word of God.
  
  

Conservatism

• Religious fundamentalism is characterized by conservative beliefs and adherence to tradition. For many fundamentalist groups, this involves traditional gender roles such as submissive women and dominant males.
  
  

Politicalization

• A third characteristic of religious fundamentalism is the polity of believers, which is actively against a secularist state in their countries. This is exemplified in countries such as Iran, where traditional Muslim principles and beliefs are incorporated into law, and even exists in the United States where religious groups lobby the government to enact faith-based legislation despite the constitutionally protected separation of church and state.
  
  

Fundamentalist Ethics

• Politicalization can't work without a desire for laws dictated by the ethics of the fundamentalist groups. In a paper titled "Core Characteristics of Religious Fundamentalism Today," Jakobus M. Vorster describes the process as "casuistic ethics," in which fundamentalists methodically apply their religious ethics to real-world cases to build a fixed moral code and control the lives of their followers.
  
  

Authenticity of Religion

• Without the intense belief that their religion is absolute truth, fundamentalists would have no basis. They view outside and secular forces as a threat to their religion's authenticity, which creates reactionism, prejudice and intolerance toward the perceived "other."
  
  

Reactionary Nature and Intolerance

• Fundamentalism usually goes hand in hand with fear of an enemy, real or imagined. When a group feels threatened by outside forces, it reacts by railing publicly against that enemy and defining itself by what it's against. An extreme example in the United States is the Westboro Baptist Church, which publicly protests every action by what it sees as an indulgent, destructive society.
  
  

Inclination to Violence

• The reactionary nature of fundamentalist groups serves as justification for violent acts. Fundamentalists generally believe they're fulfilling God's work and that attacking their perceived enemies is attacking enemies of God.
  
  

Strong Leadership

• Fundamentalist groups are most often led by a clear, charismatic leader who can inspire a sense of unity in his followers. This leader serves as the deity's human representative on Earth and demands absolute submission.
  
  

Creating the In-Group

• The nature of fundamentalism creates an "us versus them" mentality among followers: Everyone is either with them or against them. This establishes a very specific group of those who are "in" and are fundamentally against everyone who is "out," resulting in very homogenous groups. Returning to the example of the Westboro Baptist Church, most of its followers are related to its leader, Fred Phelps.
  
  

Convergence of Fundamentalism and Nationalism

• Fundamentalist groups are often very nationalistic. They perceive their beliefs to be absolute truth and the best path for their entire nation, and work to bring their home country around to their beliefs. This often results in xenophobia and increased fear of the "other," seen as a threat to their country and their beliefs.