Christian fundamentalism

== Criticism ==
Fundamentalists' literal interpretation of the [[Bible]] has been criticized by practitioners of [[biblical criticism]] for failing to take into account the circumstances in which the Christian Bible was written. Critics claim that this "literal interpretation" is not in keeping with the message which the scripture intended to convey when it was written,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://infidels.org/library/modern/steven_conifer/fundamentalism.html|title=A Critique of Fundamentalism|website=infidels.org|language=en|access-date=2 February 2017}}</ref> and it also uses the Bible for political purposes by presenting God "more as a God of judgement and punishment than as a God of love and mercy."<ref name="God">{{cite book|title=Faith, Religion & Theology: A Contemporary Introduction|author1=Brennan Hill |author2=Paul F. Knitter |author3=William Madges |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ek6bzhrlJL8C&pg=PA326|publisher=[[Twenty-Third Publications]]|quote=In fundamentalists circles, both Catholic and Protestant, God is often presented more as a God of judgment and punishment than as a God of love and mercy.|isbn=978-0-89622-725-5 |year=1997 }}</ref>

In contrast to the higher criticism, fundamentalism claims to keep the Bible open for the people.  However, through the complexity of the [[Dispensationalism|dispensational]] framework, it has actually forced lay readers to remain dependent upon the inductive methods of Bible teachers and ministers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Edwards |first=Jonathan J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7k8VBwAAQBAJ |title=Superchurch: The Rhetoric and Politics of American Fundamentalism |date=2015-04-01 |publisher=MSU Press |isbn=978-1-62895-170-7 |pages=12 |language=en}}</ref>

Christian fundamentalism has also been linked to [[child abuse]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-human-dimension/201511/fundamentalist-christianity-and-child-abuse-taboo-topic|title=Fundamentalist Christianity and Child Abuse: A Taboo Topic|website=Psychology Today|language=en|access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-perspec-evangelical-roy-moore-girls-1115-20171114-story.html|title=The larger problem of sexual abuse in evangelical circles|last=Brightbill|first=Kathryn|work=chicagotribune.com|access-date=27 November 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/sally-jones-white-widow-son-death-child-abuse-isis-drone-strike-religious-indoctrination-government-a7997056.html|title=The reported death of the 'White Widow' and her 12-year-old son should make us face some hard facts|date=12 October 2017|work=The Independent|access-date=27 November 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref> and [[corporal punishment]],<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Grasmick|first1=H. G.|last2=Bursik|first2=R. J.|last3=Kimpel|first3=M.|date=1991|title=Protestant fundamentalism and attitudes toward corporal punishment of children|journal=Violence and Victims|volume=6|issue=4|pages=283–298|issn=0886-6708|pmid=1822698|doi=10.1891/0886-6708.6.4.283|s2cid=34727867}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://childrenshealthcare.org/?page_id=146|title=Religious Attitudes on Corporal Punishment -|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/christian-fundamentalist-schools-performed-exorcisms-on-children-and-beat-pupils-in-religious-a7312681.html|title=Christian fundamentalist schools 'performed blood curdling exorcisms on children'|date=16 September 2016|work=The Independent|access-date=4 October 2017|language=en-GB}}</ref> with most practitioners believing that the Bible requires them to [[spank]] their children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-falconer-newhall/james-dobson-beat-your-do_b_5953878.html|title=James Dobson: Beat Your Dog, Spank Your Kid, Go to Heaven|last=Newhall|first=Barbara Falconer|date=10 October 2014|website=Huffington Post|language=en-US|access-date=8 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/september/spanking-in-spirit.html|title=Spanking in the Spirit?|work=CT Women|access-date=8 October 2017|language=en|archive-date=9 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180909000203/https://www.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/september/spanking-in-spirit.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Artists have addressed the issues of Christian fundamentalism,<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 March 2017 |title=Can Art Save Us From Fundamentalism? |language=en-US |work=Religion Dispatches |url=http://religiondispatches.org/can-art-save-us-from-fundamentalism/ |access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hesse |first=Josiah |date=5 April 2016 |title=Apocalyptic upbringing: how I recovered from my terrifying evangelical childhood |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/apr/05/religion-evangelical-christian-apocalypse-josiah-hesse |access-date=4 October 2017 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> with one providing a slogan "America's Premier Child Abuse Brand."<ref>{{Cite web |title=ESC by Daniel Vander Ley |url=http://www.artprize.org/65122 |access-date=4 October 2017 |website=www.artprize.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

Researchers find evidence anchoring Christian fundamentalism with beliefs in [[conspiracy theories]]<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Olshansky |first1=Alex |last2=Peaslee |first2=Robert M. |last3=Landrum |first3=Asheley R. |date=2020-04-02 |title=Flat-Smacked! Converting to Flat Eartherism |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15348423.2020.1774257 |journal=Journal of Media and Religion |language=en |volume=19 |issue=2 |pages=46–59 |doi=10.1080/15348423.2020.1774257 |s2cid=221063171 |issn=1534-8423}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Diaz Ruiz |first1=Carlos |last2=Nilsson |first2=Tomas |date=2023 |title=Disinformation and Echo Chambers: How Disinformation Circulates on Social Media Through Identity-Driven Controversies |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/07439156221103852 |journal=Journal of Public Policy & Marketing |language=en |volume=42 |issue=1 |pages=18–35 |doi=10.1177/07439156221103852 |s2cid=248934562 |issn=0743-9156}}</ref> and linking extreme religious fervour with [[Mental disorder|mental illness]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bennett-Smith |first=Meredith |date=31 May 2013 |title=Kathleen Taylor, Neuroscientist, Says Religious Fundamentalism Could Be Treated As A Mental Illness |language=en-US |work=Huffington Post |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/31/kathleen-taylor-religious-fundamentalism-mental-illness_n_3365896.html |access-date=4 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Nathaniel P. |title=How Do You Distinguish between Religious Fervor and Mental Illness? |language=en |work=Scientific American Blog Network |url=https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/how-do-you-distinguish-between-religious-fervor-and-mental-illness/ |access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=6 November 2016 |title=Religious fundamentalism a mental illness? {{!}} Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis |language=en-US |work=dna |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-religious-fundamentalism-a-mental-illness-2270582 |access-date=27 November 2017}}</ref> Fundamentalists have attempted and continue to attempt to teach [[intelligent design]], a hypothesis with [[creationism]] as its base, in lieu of [[evolution]] in public schools. This has resulted in legal challenges such as the federal case of ''[[Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District]]'' which resulted in the [[United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania]] ruling the teaching of intelligent design to be unconstitutional due to its religious roots.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.aclu.org/other/victory-challenge-intelligent-design | title=Victory in the Challenge to Intelligent Design | newspaper=American Civil Liberties Union | publisher=ACLU | access-date=23 April 2017 }}</ref>