During the “Roaring Twenties”many Christians started to affirm
their Christian beliefs. The
Christians reaffirmed their beliefs by looking towards Fundamentalism. The generic form of Fundamentalism
refers to a realization to revive the beliefs and aspects of a religion that had
been erased or had been ignored.
In the 1920’s Fundamentalism was based on believing that everything that
was written in the bible was actual truth. Fundamentalism usually sees the secular
state as the enemy because the secular state focuses more on education and the
economy, rather than focusing on reaffirming religious beliefs.
The idea of Fundamentailsm is significant because it is what caused the
Scopes Trial. In March 1925, the
Tennesseee government passed the Butler Act which forbade school teachers to
teach anything that wasn’t based from the bible. After this law was passed, the American
Civil Liberties Union wanted to find someone that would go against the Butler
Act. They chose John Scopes, a
Tennessee Biology teacher. Scopes
was arrested when he taught Darwin’s theory of Evolution to his class because
this theory went against the bible.
Clarence Darrow defended Scopes while William Jennings Bryan prosecuted
him. The outcome of the case was
that Scopes was guilty and he was fined one-hundred dollars.
John Scopes
This is a picture of John Scopes. He
was a Tennessee Biology teacher that
was arrested for teaching Charles Darwin's
Theory of Evolution becuase it went against
the Fundamentalist view of the bible.
was a Tennessee Biology teacher that
was arrested for teaching Charles Darwin's
Theory of Evolution becuase it went against
the Fundamentalist view of the bible.
Fundamentalists Supporting Bible Teachings
Fundamentalists supporting bible
teachings and protesting evolution.
teachings and protesting evolution.