Rise of Fundamentalism in the United States
Write 300 words on the context, causes and characteristics of the U.S. Fundamentalist movement. What were the primary causes of the Fundamentalist withdrawal from mainstream society? How do you see modern Evangelicalism differing in tone or content from early twentieth century Fundamentalism?
Give a brief overview or summary of the key figures and developments during rise of fundamentalism (covered on pages 292 to 295).
Give your own reaction to the long term influence of Protestant fundamentalism.
How do you see the defensive withdrawal of Fundamentalism from the public sphere effecting Christian witness and mission to society?
Sample Solution
Fundamentalism has a very specific meaning in the history of American Christianity, as the name taken by a coalition of mostly white, mostly northern Protestants who, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, united in opposition to theological liberalism. Though the movement lost the public spotlight after the 1920s, it remained robust, building a network of separate churches, denominations, and schools that would become instrumental in the resurgence of conservative evangelicalism after the 1960s. Steve Bruce argues that the main causes of Fundamentalism are modernization and secularization, but we also need to consider the nature of the religions themselves and a range of ‘external factors’ to fully explain the growth of fundamentalist movements.
