Christian Fundamentalism: Patriarchy, Sexuality, and Human Rights

Abstract

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Universal Declaration) adopted by the United Nations (UN) proclaims that “[a]ll human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights,”1 yet women’s freedom, dignity, and equality are persistently compromised by law, custom, and religious tradition in ways that men’s are not. This chapter will focus on Christian fundamentalism and patriarchy, and how they interactively help shape and rationalize both cultural views and social policy related to gender, sexuality, health, reproductive choice, and violence against women and girls.