From the Rectory

                                                                            

October 2005

 

Dear Friends

 

“LIVING WITH FUNDAMENTALISM”

 

THE DEATH OF RELIGION?

John Lennon, in his popular song, “Imagine there’s no heaven”, dreams of a world where there is no religion.  In his imagined world, everyone is “living for today”; and consequently the world is a happier and more peaceful place.  However, God-less philosophies have not, as yet, produced this perfect world.  Rather than religion withering, as Marx had envisaged, religion in the modern world is growing as a potent force.  Neither communism, nor Western secularism, seem to have satisfied the deepest needs of the human spirit.  But the sort of religion that seems to be in the ascendant is what we might call “Fundamentalism”.  We are all very aware of the growth of Fundamentalism in Islam.  But most of the world’s religions, including Christianity, are increasingly falling under the influence of this powerful phenomenon.

 

WHAT IS FUNDAMENTALISM?

The concept of Fundamentalism did not really emerge until the early 20th century.  The term was first used in the United States, in response to a series of booklets published between 1910 and 1955, entitled, “The Fundamentals.”  These booklets were an attack on modern theology.  Though these booklets emerged within the context of Christianity, the properties of “Fundamentalism” can be found gaining ground in most world religions.  The common characteristics would include:

 

1. A fear of the modern world, and a sense of being under siege from the insights of science and modern thought. ‘The world’, that is, those outside the religion, is portrayed as essentially evil.

2. A strong emphasis on the inerrancy of scripture, be it the Bible, the Koran, or other relevant religious text; and a hostility to the insights of literary and historical analysis of that faith’s scripture.

3. A strong intolerance to those of other faiths; and a hostility to those from the same faith community who are more liberal in their doctrines.

4. An authoritarian leadership that does not allow doctrine to be questioned or discussed.  The leadership strives to protect the faithful from the beliefs of the modern world.

5. In the West, there is a tendency for fundamentalist Christians to be associated with politics of the far right; and for Islamic fundamentalists to be drawn into extreme and violent political movements.

 

ARMAGEDDON?

Hans Kung, the Roman Catholic theologian, was warning in the 1980’s that the growth of fundamentalism in the world’s religions was a recipe for disaster.  He argued that we should all strive to maintain the integrity of our own beliefs, however unless there was some dialogue and growth in understanding between the great world faiths, we were heading for a calamitous conflict.  In the aftermath of September 11th, the terrorist attacks in London and other cities, the conflict in Iraq and the Holy Land, and Iran’s nuclear aspirations, his words seem to have been prophetic.  Many of us in the West are fearful of an Islam that seems increasingly militant and fundamentalist.  Paradoxically, much of the Islamic world feels threatened by the West.  Extreme Muslims are using the language of a final conflict between Christianity and Islam.  When I last did duty in Westminster Abbey, I met some Baptists from the United States, who were praising George Bush’s “Crusade” against Islam.  The expectation of a show down between the West and the Islamic states may prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 

THE FUTURE?

In his visit to Germany, Pope Benedict offered the Muslim community some straight talking.  Western Muslims, he suggested, need to deal with extremism in their own communities.  They should look at the way they integrate with Western Society, while maintaining their own faith, culture and values.  But he also stressed the importance of dialogue and mutual understanding.  Pope Benedict can hardly be portrayed as a woolly liberal!  Here is a man secure in his own beliefs, who is wanting to reach out to talk to those of other faiths.  There is no virtue in ignorance of each other.  We do not have to water down what we believe when we talk to those of other faiths.  But in a world of growing religious fundamentalism, dialogue is a dirty word, and seems to suggest compromise and surrender.  Unless we can move on from this theological cul-de-sac, the world will remain a very dangerous place.  And we Christians need to be aware of the dangers of fundamentalism in our own faith, as much as in everybody else’s.

 

Stephen Carter