Religious Wars 100 years – France 1562 – 1598 and 30 years war.
1648 Treaty of Westphalia
21st century – information technology revolution – globalization of communications, empowerment of crowds by social media overthrow of established authority and arab spring – proliferation of wars – end of Westphalian Order (Kissinger)
War of the Faithful against everyone else
Dualism – us and them –
17th Century Ideas: Disillusion with organized Religion, Social Contract, Moral Limits of Power, Human Rights, Principle of Toleration, Liberty of Conscience
Weapons win wars – Ideas win Peace
17th century – Secularization of Knowledge – Newton and Descartes
18th century – Secularization of Power – American and French Rev – free of Church Authority
19the century = Secularization of culture -art galleries, concert halls, museums in place of Cathedrals
Hegel – Modern man reads newspapers instead of morning prayers
20th century – secularization of morality – move away from the Judeo-Christian Ethic
21st century – movement towards Religion – disillusion in Middle East is with Secular Nationalism – Discontent with entire system of Westphalia with division of Nation States instead of Religion and Culture – nation states imposed from the outside.
Western Secular Culture – Liberal, individualistic, market cultures of the west – maximum of choice and minimum of meaning –
Durkheim – 1897 – in societies where there is anomy – no shared moral code – increase in suicide . People will sacrifice their lives if the prevailing culture offers no shared universe of meaning
