Being the Chosen

"Being the Chosen" explores Christian fundamentalism in the USA, focusing in particular on the belief system of Protestant fundamentalists. Establishing the key characteristics of a Protestant Christian fundamentalist worldview, it investigates the degrees to which these are adhered to amongst different groups, whilst exploring the ways in which such belief systems are constructed and reinforced through everyday life. A range of case studies (historical and contemporary) of American Protestant fundamentalism are drawn upon in this engaging study, including the author's own research amongst a small religious community in the Midwest of the USA. Examining the various tenets that often characterise fundamentalist belief, including 'chosen-ness', apocalypticism and orthopraxy, this book considers the emergence and evolution in time of such a worldview, its construction and shaping at the hands of social and cultural trends, as well its links to beliefs about national and ethnic identity. The politicisation of this variety of fundamentalism and the degree of success that it enjoys in this regard are also explored. Presenting rich empirical material, "Being the Chosen" sheds light on the manner in which the Protestant fundamentalist worldview shapes and constructs the beliefs and actions of its adherents, providing them with agency and reinforcement in the face of oppositional forces. As such, it will interest not only sociologists, but also scholars of religion and the culture and society of the USA.