Everything You Know Seems Wrong: Globalization and the Relativizing of Tradition

by George Van Pelt Campbell

Overview

In today's world it seems that the only thing you can be sure of is that there is nothing you can be sure of! Things once taken for granted are now debatable and yesterday's "certainties" are today controversial. Cultural conflict, from "culture wars" to the global "clash of civilizations" and international terrorism, has intensified with the growing consciousness of global interdependence. But this is not the first time this has happened, nor will it be the last.

A potent cause of the current conflicts, and of the periodic recurrence of such conflicts, is an effect of pluralism and globalization called the "relativizing of tradition," largely unexplored until now. Everything You Know Seems Wrong elucidates this process and discusses how it undermines established beliefs and traditions. The book examines the sense of threat and insecurity that "relativizing of tradition" produces and the range of reactions it generates, including conflict within individuals, movements, and cultures. Author George Van Pelt Campbell examines in depth the contemporary effects of the process in America's first faith, Evangelical Protestantism, and then looks at the likely effects of the process in the global future.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761830788
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	01/04/2005
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

George Van Pelt Campbell is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Religion at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. Professor Campbell holds a Th.M. in Biblical Languages from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in Sociology of Religion from the University of Pittsburgh.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 List of Figures Chapter 2 Preface Chapter 3 Acknowledgments Chapter 4 Introduction: Everything You Know Seems Wrong Chapter 5 Tradition in the Modern World: The Functions of Tradition; The Meaning of the "Relativizing" of Tradition; Relativization as a Sociological Concept; Relativization in Contemporary American Evangelicalism Chapter 6 Tradition in a Globalizing World: Crystallization of Globality as an Issue; Requirements for an Adequate Model of Globality; A Model of Globality; Globalization and Religion Chapter 7 The Dynamic of the Relativizing of Tradition: The Definition and Dynamic of Relativization; The Catalysts of Relativization; The Sequence of Events Which Lead to Relativization Chapter 8 The Results of the Relativizing of Tradition: Types of Relativization; Cultural Relativization; Cultural Relativization Generates Group Relativization; Relativization and the Phases of Globalization; Characteristics of Relativization at the Cultural Chapter 9 Relativization in Action: The Evangelical Post-Conservative Controversy: Defining American Evangelical Protestantism; History of the Post-Conservative Controversy; Definition and Description of "Evangelical Post-Conservatism" Chapter 10 Relativization in Action: Results in Evangelical Theology: Willingness to Learn form Other Traditions; Changes in Beliefs; Changes in Boundaries; New Internal Religious Movements; Internal Ethos Effects Chapter 11 The Relativizing of Tradition: A Comprehensive Theory: Willingness to Learn form Other Traditions; Changes in Beliefs; Changes in Boundaries; New Internal Religious Movements; Internal Ethos Effects; Conclusions Regarding the Relativizing of Traditi Chapter 12 Everything You Know Seems Wrong: Relativization and the Global Future: How Relativization Can Strengthen Traditions; Relativization and Culture Wars; Relativization and Moral Consensus; Relativization and the Clash of Civilizations; Relativization a Chapter 13 Bibliography Chapter 14 Index Chapter 15 Author Biography