Religious revivalism means the re-awakening of faith in religion in society. Revivalism happened in the 18th century in the west among the methodists. In India, Araya Samaj was a significant revivalist movement. ‘Shuddhi’ was one of its essential promises.
However, religious revivalism does not seek to restore the old order. While Arya samaj asks one to ‘Go back to the Vedas, it encourages English education based on science and rationality.
A literal interpretation of texts, accompanied by violence and desire to capture political power, is called religious fundamentalism. Comte had predicted that the use of science in modern society would cause the decline of religion. However, Rodney stark sees its role in providing a source of integration as its sustenance.
Peter Burger notes the rising importance of religion in politics as one of the factors driving revivalism.
Galala Ahmad, in the context of the Iranian revolution, says that Westoxication was responsible for the rise of Ayattolah Khomeini.
Malinowski defined both the social and psychological roles of religion. While the social role has been taken up by secular ideas, the importance of the psychological role is ever increasing.
Religion acts as an answer to fear and anxiety, filling the moral vacuum and answering the existential crisis. Increasing sects, cults, point to religious revivalism; however, they have synchronized accordingly with modern times.
Also Read: Religious Pluralism
