The article studies modern religious fundamentalism and the characteristics of its manifestations in major religions. It is called “The Many Faces of Fundamentalism”, because despite the diversity of religious beliefs and views, fundamentalism in different religions has many similarities. The main thing is that fundamentalists put religious principles and norms at the forefront of personal and public life. This paper, which consists of two related articles, analyzes religious fundamentalisms in its Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, and Christian forms. Islamic fundamentalism is most prevalent in today's world, although active manifestations can be seen in other religions as well. The paper examines the general characteristics of fundamentalism, noting that it can be divided into moderate and extreme forms. It is divided into Sunni and Shiite fundamentalisms, and within each there are moderate and radical tendencies. At the same time, Sunni radical fundamentalism was characterized by an intensification of terrorist and destructive actions in the 2000s and 2010s. In contrast, Shiite fundamentalism has seen a shift from certain elements of radicalism in the 1980s to more moderate and constructive behavior in the present day.

 Key words: religious fundamentalism, Islamic fundamentalism, tradition, radicalism, West, world order

DOI: 10.22250/2072-8662-2025-3-105-113

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About the authors

 

Leonid E. Grinin – Doctor of Sciences (Philosophy), Chief Researcher, Center for Stability and Risk Studies, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”;
20 Myasnitskaya Str., Moscow, 101000, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Andrey V. Korotayev – Doctor of Sciences (History), Director of the Center for Stability and Risk Studies, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”;
20 Myasnitskaya Str., Moscow, 101000, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alexander S. Khodunov – Ph.D. (Political Sciences), Junior Research Fellow, Center for Stability and Risk Studies, National Research University “Higher School of Economics”;
20 Myasnitskaya Str., Moscow, 101000, Russia; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.