Their emphasis on the next world conceals their complicity in the injustice of this one. Their obsession with self-centred salvation, personal sin and private morality, weakens any commitment to transform society. It arose in the 19th century to oppose the rediscovery of Christianity through modern scholarship, and was reminted in the 20th century to condemn liberation theology which exposed the injustice of Western capitalism. Many fundamentalists supported the oppressive forces which promoted apartheid and still resist the new government. The born-agains need to be born again.
Fundamentalism affects all religions and has a crucial corollary.
It brings activists together in a new life of faith. The struggle against apart-heid was unique because some people from all religious backgrounds found they were united against injustice and for freedom. The new municipal areas provide a human-sized tier of government in which religious activists can once more act together. Waged against fundamentalists across the board are people with a faith vision and spiritual power who want to help build a new South Africa. Loving your national or provincial neighbour is too remote, but local government provides a sphere of operation in which people can come together to tackle poverty and Aids, corruption and fear, and find the faith and enthusiasm to build a nation through transforming neighbourhoods.