Fundamentalism from Intra and Inter-religious Perspectives in Nigeria: A Sociological Quest for Solution
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Date
2015-07
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Department of History and International Relations, Veritas University, Abuja
Abstract
Fundamentalism is thus the product of the modernising process, it is anti-modernist. Fundamentalism is originally coined by its supporters to describe a specific tonality of theological beliefs as well as religious connotation indicating straight-jacketed attachments to a set of irreducible beliefs. Meanwhile, these inaccurate, insufficient and irrational stereotypes have brought doctrinal misunderstanding within conservative or liberal Christians or Muslims as well as religious clashes between Muslims and Christians based on their fundamental principles and beliefs. As a result, thousands of lives and billions worth of property have been lost to these unprecedented crises in the past five decades. This paper, therefore, adopts historical, comparative and systematic approach leading to the fact that the ever-with-us religious crisis can be surmounted when all and sundry rediscovers separate religious values, ancient language of the holy writs, spiritual cultures and mutual respect of various traditions, which are embedded in all religions. Again, the paper postulates that Comtean social creed of love is the principle, order is the basis and progress is the end would suffice. The paper, therefore, concludes that this deeper reality would create a solid base for a humane and germane Nigerian society that acts just by respecting individual difference.
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Keywords
Religion, Fundamentalism, Intra, Inter, Nigeria, Sociology