Neofascism and religion

The study of Neofascism and religion is a controversial area which examines the parallels and intersections between what are purported to be various forms of neofascism and contemporary religions and religious movements.

Related Topics:
Neofascism - Religion

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Allegations that any religion is involved with neofascism are hotly contested, and can bring out the worst in rhetoric and bigoted claims by advocates or opponents. Assertions that religious fundamentalists and militants are "fascists," can often be understood as a hyperbolic political attack that uses the term fascism as a politic epithet or slur. This article will examine this phenomenon in context, but will also review scholarly claims that have more substance.

Related Topics:
Hyperbolic - The term fascism as a politic epithet or slur

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Groups and movements that are not constructed around a religious identity or theology are discussed on the pages Neo-Fascism and Neo-Nazism.

Related Topics:
Neo-Fascism - Neo-Nazism

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The definitional debates and arguments by academics over the nature of fascism fill entire bookshelves. Most scholars consider Fascism to be an authoritarian political movement, and it is generally considered to be part of, or in coalition with, the extreme right. First adopted in Italy during the 1930s, Fascism spread across Europe between World War One and World War Two. Neofascism is the term used to describe fascist movements active after World War Two.

Related Topics:
Fascism - Authoritarian - Extreme right - Italy - 1930s - Europe - World War One - World War Two

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Modern colloquial usage of the word sometimes extends the definition of the terms fascism and neofascism to refer to any totalitarian worldview regardless of its political ideology, however this is problematic to most scholars.

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Some scholars, using the term neofascism in its narrow sense, consider certain contemporary religious movements and groups to represent forms of clerical or theocratic neofascism, including Christian Identity in the United States; some militant forms of politicized Islamic fundamentalism; some militant forms of Jewish nationalism; militant Hindu nationalism in India (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh); and a variety of pagan alternative religions.

Related Topics:
Clerical - Theocratic - Christian Identity - United States - Islamic fundamentalism - Jewish - Nationalism - Hindu - Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh - Pagan

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