Fundamentalism versus Modernity: Contrast and Comparison between Christianity and Islam By Charley Earp In the aftermath of the Iranian hostage crisis in 1979, a new perception of Islam took shape within the U.S. in which the hostage-takers and others perceived to have terroristic intentions within Islam were called “fundamentalists.” This usage borrowed a term that had been appropriated by an anti-modernist strain of Christianity in the late 19th century. Despite vast differences of religious thought, cultural dynamics, and socio-political viewpoint, this usage of “Islamic fundamentalism” persists. Many see this usage as pernicious and misleading. The superficially common element that putative Islamic and Christian “fundamentalists” share is an opposition to modernity. Even this opposition is significantly differentiated within the respective religious movements and their host cultures. Defining modernity is itself quite contestable. For purposes of this essay, the key components of modernity are science, secularism, democracy, and capitalism. Christian fundamentalists have generally rejected science and secularism while they have embraced capitalism. The stance of Christian fundamentalists on democracy is more complex, but generally Christian fundamentalists accept democracy, while calling for reforming it in line with their overall agenda. So-called Islamic Fundamentalists are generally more critical of democracy and capitalism, less critical of science, and similarly opposed to secularism than their Christian counterparts. In fact, Christian fundamentalists are often vocal apologists for modern capitalism in the most ruthless forms possible. Should a responsible examination of Islamic movements refrain from labelling certain groups and personalities as “fundamentalists”? As the term was self-chosen by specific Christian movements, is there some serious misunderstanding that led to its application to Islam? In general, the term “Islamic fundamentalism” risks unhelpfully confounding important distinctions between the phenomena in question. However, there are important comparisons to
1