Technological Growth and Religion

Technological Growth and Religion


As countries modernize, they experience change with varying degrees of conflict involved. Countries that have modernization occur rapidly are hotbeds for Fundamentalist movements. They are especially vulnerable if they are Third World Nations, who lack a system of national education. There appears to be a strong correlation to technological/educational growth to religious abatement. (MacCulloch, Pezzini) As Europe and America moved into the Industrial age, they did their changes gradually. Each technological improvement brought about a correspondent change in their overall social make-up.
The reliance on mythos faded or sublimated to the use of reason. Luther saw the emergence of reason as a detriment to the growth of Christianity that it would lead to Atheism. Calvin saw it as an empirically supporting the Christian doctrinal beliefs and so did John Wesley who brought about the “Methodical Christian Approach” and the Methodist church. (Armstrong)
Karen Armstrong proposed that the very reasoning they use to understand the significance of religion and faith has blinded secularists and those who follow the scientific rationalistic approach to life (Scientific Materialism). The secularist approach has led to an arrogance that kept them in a position of trying to “be right” when “doing right” was needed for understanding. That these theologies and ideologies may be rooted in fear is apparent, but modern secularism is the culprit, having drained life of its meaning and purpose. With the encroachment of secular ideologies, a form of paranoia erupts in highly religious peoples. When the interpretations of meaning behind discoveries are prone to dismantle long held unquestioned suppositions about reality, fear is inevitable. As millions of people around the globe struggle with seemingly irreconcilable philosophies of life, the rise of militant fundamentalism is and was inevitable.
We went from the spoken word to the written word, to radio, to television then the computer. With each successive jump in our ability to communicate we also saw a rise of radical fundamentalist eruption.


What can we do to resolve the problems arising from modernization and the impact it has on religious beliefs?


References:

MacCulloch, Robert and Pezzini, Silvia, (2002), “The Role of Freedom, Growth and Religion in the Taste for Revolution,” http://repec.org/res2003/Pezzini.pdf [web pdf]

Armstrong, Karen (2001), “The Battle for God,” Random House Publishing








Recommended Further Reading:
Singer, C., Holmyard, E.J., Hall, A. R and Williams, T. I. (eds.), (1954-59 and 1978) A History of Technology,, 7 vols., Oxford, Clarendon Press,. (Vols 6 and 7, 1978, ed. T. I. Williams)
Kranzberg, Melvin and Pursell, Carroll W. Jr., eds. (1967)Technology in Western Civilization: Technology in the Twentieth Century New York: Oxford University Press.
Pacey, Arnold, (1974, 2ed 1994),The Maze of Ingenuity The MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, 1974, [2ed 1994, cited here]
Derry, Thomas Kingston and Williams, Trevor I., (1993) A Short History of Technology : From the Earliest Times to A.D. 1900. New York: Dover Publications.
Brush, S. G. (1988). The History of Modern Science: A Guide to the Second Scientific Revolution 1800-1950. Ames: Iowa State University Press.
Bunch, Bryan and Hellemans,Alexander, (1993) The Timetables of Technology, New York, Simon and Schuster.
Olby, R. C. et. al., eds. (1996). Companion to the History of Modern Science,. New York, Routledge.


Related sites of Interest:
Biblical Timelines http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/timeline.stm
Changing Views of the History of the Earth http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/geohist.html
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