Fundamentalism is a belief in the literal truth of a sacred text, and fundamentalists are found in all the world's major religions. The term fundamentalism originated in America in the early part of the twentieth century. It was originally used to describe a movement in the Protestant Church but now most faiths have movements which can be described as fundamentalist. This book tells the history of fundamentalism and looks at the growth of different fundamentalist movements from the early twentieth century until today. It examines specific forms of fundamentalism - particularly Christian and Islamic - discussing their history, present-day significance, and possible future development.

Author Biography

Alex Woolf studied history at Essex University, and has written and edited many 20th century history titles for young people.