Fundamentalism and dispensationalism

evangelicals and the engagement against modernity

Abstract

In this article, we address the definition of modernity, highlighting how the evolution of this concept has repercussions in the realms of religion and individual identity, leading to a plurality that translates into a crisis of meaning. From this standpoint, the text connects such ideas with the theological and social responses that emerge as reactions to these phenomena. Subsequently, the focus shifts to the phenomenon of fundamentalism, treating it as a paradoxical consequence of modernity, which attempts to resolve the crisis of meaning by resorting to a strict interpretation of sacred texts. The analysis proceeds to discuss the impact of this fundamentalism on the attitudes of evangelical groups regarding conflicts in the Middle East, with special emphasis on the tension between Israel and Palestine. In this section, the article outlines how certain fundamentalist readings of the Bible, specifically dispensationalism, lead to a political interpretation of the sacred texts, contributing to a perspective that denies the principles of modernity and its complexities.