The article is devoted to the comparison of the traditionalist and fundamentalist current in modern religions. The relevance of the study is due to the generally recognized social threat of religious fundamentalism in the modern world. Methodology. The basis of the research is the phenomenological and comparative methods. Results. The results of the study are that the author examines the differences between religious fundamentalism and religious traditionalism in connection with the confusion and incorrect use of these terms both in science and in journalism. The key difference between traditionalism and fundamentalism is a different attitude towards one's own social and theological heritage. There are religious directions in which fundamentalism as such is impossible because of their doctrinal features. Practical implications. The results of the study can be applied in the sphere of socio-political planning.