Dialogue on Fundamentalism Ascending in Judaism and Christianity

1. JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY:NO HOLDS BARRED – SESSION 8 Fundamentalism Ascending: Where Do We Go From Here?

2. “Administrative Matters” • Dialogue from 9:00 to 9:50 • Break from 9:50 to 10:00 • Dialogue from 10:00 to 10:30 • Questions and Answers from 10:30 to 10:45

3. How to Find the Slides for Each Week • Go to fau.edu. On the bar on the left side, click on “Lifelong Learning.” • Click on “LLS Jupiter Home” • Put your cursor over “Classes” and then click on “Winter Schedule” • Click on the tab for “Courses” and scroll down to Thursdays for “O’Brien and Shapiro” • Click on “O’Brien and Shapiro” and scroll down to the link for the Slides in either PowerPoint or PDF • Click on the link for the Slides and download them

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5. What should we do next year? • World’s Great Religions Course – 2011 with co-panelists for each of six religions • Orthodox Rabbi • Evangelical Christian • Muslim Imam • Buddhist Monk or Meditation Leader • Hindu Pundit • Yeyefini, a Yoruba Priestess • How many of you attended? • How many of you are interested?

6. Plan For Today • What is Fundamentalism? Why is it attractive? • What is Christian Fundamentalism? • When did it begin? What are “The Fundamentals”? • The impact of Christian Fundamentalism in the US • Varieties of Modern US Fundamentalism • The Evangelicals and the Pentecostals • Religious Trends in the US • Where do we go from here?

7. Introduction to Fundamentalism http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TYQj_1dkTI 0:00 to 4:40

8. Fundamentalism Generally • Single Truth in a Plural World • Movement  to preserve identity as a people or a belief by preserving doctrines and practices • Commitment to an unfolding eschatological drama • See persons who do not agree as threatening

9. Religious Fundamentalism • Literal reading of Sacred Scriptures (Bible, Koran) • Reject “threats” of Modern Biblical Scholarship • Reject Science if not consistent with literal Scripture • Oppose secularism and mores of modern society • Religious truths are universal and apply to all • Demand strict adherence to “orthodox theology”

10. Christian Fundamentalism in USA • Three Movements came together: • Evangelical “Great Awakening/Revivalist” Movements of the 18th and 19th Centuries • Dispensationalism (Rapture, Armageddon) developed in 1830’s in England; gained traction in US • Princeton theories of Biblical Inerrancy (1910) • Reaction against “secular” aspects of Modernity • Darwin’s Theory of Evolution • Modern “German” Biblical Analysis (J, E, D, P etc.) • Perceived laxity in moral standards • Cultural changes from awareness of world’s religions

11. Christian Fundamentalism – 2 • The Fundamentals (12 Volumes) in 1910-15 • Term “fundamentalism” coined in 1920 • Scopes Monkey Trial (1925) • Influenced (ironically) by Modern Science and the Enlightenment: • Test of truth: is it a verifiable “fact” ? • Absolute truths are able to be known in all areas

12. The “Fundamentals” ofChristian Fundamentalism • Bible is directly inspired by God and therefore has no error (including history and science) • Virgin Birth of Jesus • Christ’s death atoned for the sins of all • Bodily Resurrection of Jesus • Historical reality of the miracles of Jesus • Second Coming of Christ at the End Times

13. Example of Biblical Literalism • Mark 16:17-18: Jesus said: “The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1-BhaX5GSE

14. Rejecting Evolution • 33% of Americans reject • 49% of High School Grads reject (28% College) • 64% of Evangelicals reject • 50% of Black Protestants reject • 57% of Republicans reject • 33% of Democrats reject

15. Religious Intolerance • Only 26% of Churchgoing Protestants believe it is possible to “obtain eternal life” without belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

16. Jewish Fundamentalism? • Need to distinguish between an “extremist” and a “fundamentalist” • Fundamentalist believes his way is the only way to truth; everyone else is evil • Judaism is not for everyone; non-Jews can find their own pathway to God • Some Jews are “extremists” – but this is a political position. It is not a religious position that there is only one way to the truth (God).

17. Hasidic Community in Ramapo, NY(“Them and Them” NY Magazine 4.21.13) • Hasidim began to settle in area in 1970’s • Hasidic community grew rapidly after 1990 • Built own yeshivas (many in private homes) • Gained control of E. Ramapo School District – 2005 • Cut public school taxes and school budgets • Eliminated regular teachers, programs • Expanded special education for Hasidic children • Many middle class left; immigrants moved in • School Board has ignored the immigrants’ requests

18. Worldwide Religious Freedom(Pew Research Center) • Religious freedom is declining worldwide • 76% of persons worldwide face hostility for religion (up from 52% in 2011) • Violence against religious groups in 50% of 198 countries • Hostility by Governments • Ban on conversions; limits on preaching; privileges for favored religions • Social Hostilities • Armed conflicts, terrorism, sectarian violence, harassment, intimidation or abuse motivated by religion

19. Classifying Christians in America • Evangelical – Born Again; Inerrant Bible; Jesus Christ ONLY way to Eternal Life; Personal, Intimate God • Pentecostal/Holiness – form of Evangelical; spiritual gifts (tongues, healing); emotional worship • Mainline Protestant – includes some Baptists, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, United Church of Christ; wide variations exist in each sect • Roman Catholics – steady membership until 2000 b/c of Hispanic replacements; declining in 21st C.

20. Jews in America Reform – 35%; Highest Rate of Intermarriage (50%); For 16% of Reform Jews, religion important in life Conservative – 18% and declining; Median Age – 55 30% of persons raised Conservative became Reform Orthodox – 10%; low retention rate; growing b/c of large families (4.1 children); Religion important 83% Other – 6% No Denomination – 30% (33% of young Jewish Adults describe themselves as “Nones” in terms of religion but self-identify as Jews)

21. Major Groups in USA(1990 to 2012) Group19902009 2012 Christians 86% 76% 73% Jews 1.8 1.2 1.2 Muslims 0.3 0.6 0.8 Nones 8.2 15.3 19.6 Other 3.7 7.1 5.4

22. National Trends (1990 – 2012) • Americans are less Christian (86% to 73%) • Catholics down from 26.2% to 22.1% • Evangelicals (including Baptists) steady at 25% • Mainline Protestants down from 18.7% to 12.9% • Pentecostals (including Black Churches) up to 9% • Jewish down from 1.8% to 1.2% • Muslim up from .3% to .6% • “Nones” up from 8.2% to 19.0% • “Nominals” are also increasing

23. The “Nones” Largest growth group: Now 19% of American adults Reasons for leaving religion: Religious people hypocritical, judgmental, insincere Too much focus on money and power and not enough on spirituality in churches Many religions are partly true; none is fully true Science proves religion is just superstition

24. “Nominals” are not “Nones” • Self-identify with a religious tradition but do not practice it (“religious identity in name only”) • Persons who self-identify as Jewish • 62% based on culture and ancestry; 15% on religion • 34% say “it’s ok to see Jesus as Messiah and be Jewish” • Persons who self-identify as Catholic • 77% say “proud” to be Catholic, but only 55% practice it • 68% say not necessary to attend weekly Mass • Only 43% look to Pope and bishops for moral choices • Only 17% of Americans attend services in any week

25. Why is this happening? • Many young persons identify all religions with fundamental religious traditions • Persons under 30 describe Christians as “intolerant, homophobic, judgmental, smug” • Denominational conflicts on issues of inclusivity have caused some to leave churches • Child Abuse Problems in Roman Catholic Church have caused some to leave

26. Persons Under 30(Pew Research 2009) • 72% self-describe as Spiritual but not Religious • 66% rarely pray with others, attend worship or read the Bible • 28% say “God is just a concept” • 40% say “The devil is just a symbol” • 50% believe Jesus is the only way to heaven (!) • Identify “Religion” with “Organized Religion”

27. Trends in America: We are More Spiritual and Less Religious Persons Describe Themselves19992009 Spiritual but not religious 30% 30% Neither spiritual or religious 9% 9% Religious, not spiritual 54% 9% Spiritual and religious 6% 48% Persons who said they had a deep transforming spiritual experience: 22% in 1962, but 49% in 2009

28. Spiritual But Not Religious • “Spiritual” – experience that connects one with a deeper sense of the self and the divine; authority of the experience is validated through internal sources • Reality of Sacred in one’s life; deeper meaning in life; sense of transcendent and transcending oneself • “Religion” – institutions that organize matters pertaining to belief and practice; authority is derived from external sources • Observance of rituals and practices; acceptance of prescribed beliefs; participation in community worship and prayer; self-identification with religious group

29. Different People Have Different Needs • Certainty • Community/Belonging • Personal Space and Individualism • Approaches to Religion with a Tolerance for Paradox, Mystery and Tentative Answers • Liturgy and Ceremony • Emotional Content and Uplift • Spirituality and Sense of Personal Transcendence • Opportunities for Service to Others

30. Different Churches Meet Different Needs • Certainty: Orthodox Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Christian and other Fundamentalists, Latter Day Saints • Community/Belonging: Megachurches and others religious which emphasize activities for members • Personal Space/Individualism: Unaffiliation; sects with a “culture” of prayer w/o involvement; independent minyanim • New Approaches: Progressive Christianity; Some Reform and Conservative Judaism; Eastern Religions; Unitarian Universalists

31. Meeting the Needs – 2 • Liturgy and Ceremony: Roman Catholic; Some Mainline Protestants; Judaism • Emotional Content and Uplift: Pentecostals; some Evangelicals; many Megachurches • Spirituality and Transcendence: Roman Catholic; some Mainline churches; some Synagogues • Opportunity for Service to Others: All can provide this, and need to develop a “culture” of service

32. Predictions • Mainline Protestant churches will increase sharing of clergy, houses of worship and communion; some will legally (or de facto) merge • Roman Catholic Church will gain first- generation Hispanic immigrants, but continue to lose non-Hispanics. Q: Impact of Pope Francis? • “Nones” will continue to grow as a percentage • Orthodox Judaism will continue to grow as a result of higher birth rates than other Jews • Spirituality will be more important in Judaism • Increased polarization of religious choices in USA

33. Thoughts About God from Bishop Spong http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XL8LvaJ9Rc&list=PL4451CC2B5DF19F6F&index=5

34. Walker, there is no road; the road is made by walking.