The Correspondence Theory Of Truth: The Root Cause Of Fundamentalism In America

Abstract

Christian fundamentalism in America is alive and well and serves as an impediment to the progress of a democratic society because of its tendency to seek universal subordination of all truth to "Biblical truth". In this paper I argue the source of strength for the resilience of this religious movement comes from their implicit adherence to the correspondence theory of truth as they apply it to their interpretation of the Bible. Furthermore, I will argue Richard Rorty's attack on the correspondence theory of truth provides a challenge to fundamentalism and reveals an alternative to fundamentalists who might join him in a careful study of how language works. By developing a healthy skepticism about the universal application of the correspondence theory of truth, fundamentalists can bracket off their religious convictions and joining their fellow citizens in democratic progress without the unhelpful culture war of religion versus modernism.