Christian Right – Introduction 2 The word 'fundamentalism' was first used in 1920 but didn't get into the Oxford English Dictionary until 1950. In the US, religious fundamentalism is not a fringe phenomenon. The Southern Baptists are the biggest such denomination. There are more SB ministers in the state of Texas alone than there are Roman Catholic priests in the whole of the US. The Christian Right in Britain is more vague, more flabby.   Fundamentalism is used to denote most forms of bigotry and religious extremism. It is also used as a synonym for literal interpretations of the text. The first attack of the fundamentalists was on Bible criticism and liberal theology. The next enemy was socialism, followed by deviant forms of Christianity like Jehovah's Witnesses. They also oppose Darwin's theory of evolution.   The three tenets of fundamentalism are: 1) A clear division between the saved and the unsaved; 2) fundamentalism is inseparable from militancy; the fundamentalist is angry about something; 3) a sense of utter certainty and the systematic exclusion of doubt. In regard to racism, there is a belief that black people are not fully human but belong to a species that existed before Adam and Eve.  As for Catholics, the present Pope can be described as a Catholic fundamentalist - he has fiercely opposed liberation theology which advocates justice to powerless people. The religious right in America is a slippery phenomenon, difficult to categorize by theology or identify by denomination. In recent decades the right-wing element, based on a fundamentalist view of the world, has asserted itself like never before. In the hands of right-wing religious leaders such as Pat Robertson or the Rev. Jerry Falwell and others, the Bible's sacred texts have become blueprints for an equally right-wing American political agenda. The gospel is turned into a tract justifying every capitalistic whim. And the Book of Revelation becomes a literal point-by-point guidebook on the countdown to Armageddon, with Jerusalem smack in the epicenter. The religious right framework has in the last few years been having a significant effect on international relations -- and even U.S. foreign policy. It may seem appalling to some that such extreme views would hold any sway in serious political circles, but the convergence of two fundamentalisms -- Christian and Jewish -- has made for a powerful, if bizarre alliance. But it is unmistakable that political leadership feels both Christian and Jewish fervor in the form of political force and pressure. What is more distressing is that political leadership too often caves in to such pressure.   References 1. Kenneth Leech, Rise of Christian Fundamentalism, CARF issue 67 (Summer 2002) 2. Kenneth Leech, The Sky is Red: discerning the signs of the times, DLT Press 1997 3. The Religious Right in America, editorial National Catholic Reporter (11 Oct 02)