fundamentalist
Strict scripture adherent
A fundamentalist holds strictly to the basic tenets of a religion or ideology, rejecting modern reinterpretations or compromises.
The term emerged from early 20th-century American Protestantism but now applies broadly: Islamic fundamentalists, free-market fundamentalists.
The word often carries pejorative weight, suggesting rigidity or extremism: He's a fundamentalist about grammar.
Asserting opinions as facts
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- absolutistOne allowing no exceptions
- doctrinaireRigidly attached to doctrine
uncompromising · intransigent · hardline · purist · strict · authoritarian · unbending · adamant
One who accepts something
- evangelicalZealously advocating beliefs
- devoutDeeply religious, sincere
- scriptureSacred religious writings
- doctrineEstablished body of teachings
orthodoxy · theology · literalism · inerrancy · creationist · born-again · televangelist · preacher
Overly zealous person
- extremistOne holding fringe views
- radicalRoot-indicating symbol
- militantAggressive cause supporter
- zealousPassionately eager and active
fervent · ardent · firebrand · ideologue · crusader · partisan · diehard · immoderate
Stubbornly intolerant of others
- narrow-mindedIntolerant of differing views
- close-mindedUnreceptive to differing views
- parochialNarrow in perspective
- sectarianRigidly devoted to faction
exclusivist · judgmental · self-righteous · sanctimonious · holier-than-thou · condemnatory · puritanical · moralistic
Movement rekindling religious passion
- traditionalismAdherence to inherited customs
- conservatismPreference for existing institutions
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
- reactionaryAnti-progress political stance
back-to-basics · originalism · textualism · Wahhabism · Salafism · evangelicalism · Islamism · theocracy
dogmatic
Asserting opinions as facts
- inflexibleUnable to bend
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
- absolutistOne allowing no exceptions
doctrinaire · uncompromising · intransigent · hardline · purist · strict · authoritarian · unbending · adamant · obstinate
believer
One who accepts something
- evangelicalZealously advocating beliefs
- devoutDeeply religious, sincere
- scriptureSacred religious writings
doctrine · orthodoxy · theology · literalism · inerrancy · creationist · born-again · televangelist · preacher · congregation
fanatic
Overly zealous person
zealous · fervent · ardent · firebrand · ideologue · crusader · partisan · diehard · immoderate · single-minded
bigoted
Stubbornly intolerant of others
- narrow-mindedIntolerant of differing views
- close-mindedUnreceptive to differing views
- parochialNarrow in perspective
sectarian · exclusivist · judgmental · self-righteous · sanctimonious · holier-than-thou · condemnatory · puritanical · moralistic · censorious
revivalism
Movement rekindling religious passion
- traditionalismAdherence to inherited customs
- conservatismPreference for existing institutions
- orthodoxyAdherence to accepted beliefs
reactionary · back-to-basics · originalism · textualism · Wahhabism · Salafism · evangelicalism · Islamism · theocracy · reconstructionism
- religionChristianity, Islam, beliefs, Judaism, Hinduism
- believersbeliever, believers, adherent, devotee, theist
- ChristiansCatholics, Catholic, Protestants, Protestant, Baptist
- MormonismBook of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Latter-day Saints, priesthood, Latter-day Saint
- American ProtestantismBaptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian
- Christianesealtar call, backslider, blessed, born again, churched
fundamentalistmodernist
Advocate of experimental forms
contextualist · allegorist · revisionist · freethinker · progressive
fundamentalistfreethinker
Rejects doctrine for reason
open-minded · skeptic · relativist · agnostic · pluralist
fundamentalistreformer
Agent of institutional improvement
progressive · modernizer · reformist · revisionist · innovator
- religious fundamentalismLiteral interpretation of scripture
- Christian fundamentalismLiteral Bible belief movement
- Islamic fundamentalismLiteral scriptural Muslim politics