Friday 21 August 2015

Differences & Similarities Between Catholicism And Fundamentalism

By Shawn Hunter


It is easy to assume that Catholics and fundamentalists are one and the same thing. However, as much as there is a connection there also exists fundamental differences. Many theologians and churchgoers want to know more about the differences. Catholicism and fundamentalism part ways when it comes to a number of issues. However, there are also several points of convergence. Many people are looking for answers on different places. Some are posting questions on answer sites, with this topic as the subject matter.

The major point of difference relates to history. The history of the Catholic Church begins with teachings of Jesus Christ. Therefore, this church can be traced to the 1st century. It is said that contemporary Catholic Church is the continuation of the church of the early apostles. On the other hand, Christian fundamentalism began in the late years of nineteenth century.

The major denomination in the world is Catholic. It has a following in all the major continents of the world. Fundamentalist flock does not in any way constitute a denomination. The best word that describes it is a movement within the wider Protestant church. This movement was formed by American and British protestants who rejected the ideals of theological liberalism and cultural modernism that had started to take root in the Protestant church. There are a good number of churches in the world that can be labeled as fundamentalist.

Europe is the official birthplace of Catholicism. This continent hosts some of the first catholic churches in the world. At one moment in Europe, almost the entire continent was catholic but this changed with the great reformation. Presently, the headquarters of this denomination is in Vatican City, which is an independent state within the territories of Italy. For the case of fundamentalism, there is nothing like an official headquarter although the first meeting of fundamentals who drafted the fundamentalist agenda, took place in New Jersey, USA. While catholic has European roots, it can be said that fundamentalist movement has American roots.

There are many similarities between this movement and the catholic faith. Both of them lean towards the conservative side of things. In other words, they can be termed as right wing. They tend to be on favor of traditional ideologies and in total rejection of some secularist and liberal tendencies.

Lines of similarity are also drawn on the issue of Virgin Birth and Resurrection of Jesus on the third day. The hope of people from both camps is eternal life and the ultimate return of the Messiah at a date that is only known to God. Both doctrines are grounded on the sinless nature of Jesus Christ. The fact that He was born without sin and died without blame.

This argument has drawn the interest of many religious scholars. Ordinary people are also interested in this topic. There are many books that offer valuable insights. One can also obtain information, free of charge, from articles published online.

Catholic faith has come a long way. Fundamentalism started the last century. In some issues, these ideologies are polar opposites. However, the thread of conservatism seems to connect these schools of thought.




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