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Religion, rights, and civil society - Ancient faith and modern values

Q: What does the 'return to fundamentals' mean?

The 'return to fundamentals' invariably translated in some quarters into the affirmation of patriarchal norms and a concomitant resistance to female equality. The alleged breakdown in morals that fundamentalists identified as the central crisis of modern society was loosely associated with notions of sexual equality and gender identity that allegedly weakened both the family and undermined the proper socialization of children. Adherence to tradition, variously defined but always including some restriction on women's roles, became the rallying cry of fundamentalists who denounced the corrosive effects of modern secular society.

5 important questions on Religion, rights, and civil society - Ancient faith and modern values

How did the great historic faith traditions go about modern developments?

For the great historic faith traditions, the development of postwar consumer culture, the privileging of technological innovation and scientific inquiry, the intensification of rights-based social movements, and the proliferation of sovereign nation-states all challenged the assumption that temporal existence was but one temporary component of a larger reality.
In response to these developments, some religious leaders struggled to elicit contemporary strategies from ancient texts, affirming that greater social engagement and support for human equality were obligatory.
They were prepared to allow for the reinterpretation of ancient texts to meet contemporary social and economic needs.

How did the Christian fundamentalists go about the Enlightenment?

In the Christian tradition, fundamentalists accepted the Enlightenment's separation of church and state and worked instead to influence public policy through the political process.

What did fundamentalism mean in the Muslim world?

In the Muslim world, rigid fundamentalism meant the affirmation of theocracy where every compartment of life was regulated by the injunctions of the sacred text.

What does the "return to fundamentals" mean?

The "return to fundamentals" invariably translated in some quarters into the affirmation of patriarchal norms and a concomitant resistance to female equality.
The alleged breakdown in morals that fundamentalists identified as the central crisis of modern society was loosely associated with notions of sexual equality and gender identity that allegedly weakened both the family and undermined the proper socialization of children.
Adherence to tradition, variously defined but always including some restriction on women's roles, became the rallying cry of fundamentalists who denounced the corrosive effects of modern secular society.

What connection is there between secularization and waning of the religious impulse?

In the debate between modernizers and fundamentalists, the relevance and immediacy of the sacred to contemporary life were never in doubt. Thus the alleged connection between secularization and a waning of the religious impulse appeared tenuous at best.
Even in those countries where traditional, institutional religions were reporting declining attendance and financial support, new movements emerged to win the backing of women and men continued to place religion, and especially its reformist and equalitarian tendencies, at the very center of their lives.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

A Concise History of the World Since 1945 | 9781352010206 | W M Spellman

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