Christian fundamentalism and development

This article discusses the characteristics of the fundamentalist form of Christianity which emerged in early 20th century America and re‐emerged as a significant trend in the late 1970s. Gifford describes the spread of this form of Christianity to Africa in the 1980s and its implications in the present crisis in Africa. The central argument is that these features, all or some of which are found in particular fundamentalist theology, encourage a passive acceptance of disasters, misfortune and a lack of social responsibility, leading to the absence of any commitment to development.