The most conspicuous form of religion to emerge during the 20th century is ?fundamentalism?. Any account of the modern world that ignores the impact of the forces of fundamentalism will be significantly deficient. Whether one considers debates within faith communities concerning the correct interpretation of sacred writings, or opposition to Western secular values, or religiously inspired political activism, or indeed some forms of international terrorism, fundamentalism seems to be a perennial and ubiquitous religious tendency.
Written from sociological, ethnographical, anthropological, missiological, and theological perspectives, together these essays provide a source of reliable information and thoughtful reflection on contemporary manifestations of fundamentalism and fundamentalist-like trends.
Readers of this fascinating book will gain an overall sense of the nature of ?fundamentalism?, the various concerns of fundamentalists, and the problems involved in studying fundamentalisms, as well as an understanding of the wider social and cultural implications of fundamentalist belief and practice.
