fundamentalism

In religion, an emphasis on basic principles or articles of faith. Christian fundamentalism emerged in the USA just after World War I (as a reaction to theological modernism and the historical criticism of the Bible) and insisted on belief in the literal truth of everything in the Bible. Islamic fundamentalism insists on strict observance of Muslim Shari'a law.

Christian fundamentalists (in the sense used by most US 20th-century fundamentalist churches) also believe in the divinity of Christ, the virgin birth, the atonement, and the resurrection of Christ as essential parts of their faith. Liberal Christian theologians have questioned all these points.

In the 1950s a more moderate tendency broke off to form the evangelical movement, which claims to carry on the original intentions of Fundamentalism.