Secularization in the World: For and Against

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Secularization as the dominant trend
Secularization and religion
Evaluation of secularization
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Significant social and political transformations, which took place in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, decreased the influence of religion on public life. This trend has been observed in various countries and cultures. This paper is aimed discussing secularization and the way in which affects different societies. It should be noted that the definition of this term includes several elements. First, this notion can be described as the diminishing impact of religious institutions on the functioning of the state and public policies (Bruce 2002, p. 3). Secondly, this concept can be interpreted as people’s unwillingness to display their religious beliefs or take part in religious rituals (Bruce 2002, p. 3; Davie 1994, p. 2).

One should bear in mind that secularism should not be confused with atheism, because people can believe in God without emphasizing their affiliation to religious institutions. Overall, it is possible to argue that the world is gradually secularizing because various societies throughout the world tend to become more liberal and critical toward religion. Additionally, in most case, this trend is beneficial because secularization minimizes the risks of religious conflicts within a society and prevents political leaders from misusing religious principles. These are the main arguments that should be elaborated in greater detail.

Secularization as the dominant trend

One can provide several examples that can throw light on the increasing secularization of various societies. One of the most interesting examples is Great Britain. People, who live in the country, are not willing to take part in various religious rites (Davie 1994, p. 2). However, they do not call themselves atheists (Davie 1994, p. 2). As a rule, they recognize the existence of the deity (Davie 1994, p. 2). Such attitudes can be widespread among people who can represent various denominations or confessions. Moreover, in Great Britain, religious institutions do not affect the functioning of the state. This is one of the aspects that should be considered.

Similar situation can be observed in other European countries such as France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and many other countries. To a great extent, this process takes its origin in the Reformation movement which started the separation of the church and the state (Bruce1996). Additionally, one should speak about the role of the French Revolution that was partly aimed at preventing the church from intervening into the activities of the government. Yet, this process was very time-consuming and its consequences began to manifest themselves in the nineteenth century. Moreover, in Western European countries, people are less willing to take part in various religious rites. To a great extent, the increasing role of secularism can be attributed to World War II (Bruce1996). This social and political catastrophe emphasized the inability of religion to prevent the confrontation within various societies. Additionally, secularism can be attributed to the critical assessment of the role that religious institutions played in the course of history. This is another point that can be made.

Moreover, many sociologists admit that contemporary Christianity passes a period of crisis because increasing secularization marginalizes this religion (Martin 2006). In this case, one cannot speak about some state policies that are aimed at suppressing religion. More attention should be paid to the change in people’s attitudes and values. There is statistical evidence that can support the claims about the increasing globalization. For example, in Finland, the church membership decreased by five percent during the period between 2003 and 2009 (Hjelm, 2010, p. 67).

Overall, sociologists argue that Western states strongly rely on secular humanism (York 1995, p. 44). This ideology implies that communities should adhere to such principles as philosophical naturalism, logic, or reason (York 1995, p. 44). Moreover, it is based on the idea that people can act in an ethical way without believing in God. This is one of the factors that contribute to secularization. Furthermore, the majority of these secular states are economically-advanced countries with a developed civil society. People, who live in these states, do not believe that religion should affect the work of governments. This is why many European states are often described as post-Christian societies.

Secularization and religion

These examples indicate that globalization can be viewed as a dominant trend that should not be overlooked by sociologists and political scientists. However, one should not forget about possible objections to this argument. First of all, one should not suppose that this trend is universally displayed. For instance, in Europe there are countries in which people are willing to show that they are affiliated to a certain denomination or confession. For example, one can mention Croatia, Lithuania, Spain, Poland, Ireland, or Slovakia (Therborn 2013). In most cases, people, living in these countries, are Catholics. This is one of the details that should be taken into consideration.

Moreover, in many Arabic countries, the law is directly from derived from the Quran. In this case, one should speak about Sharia which is used in various states such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, or Qatar (Bruce 2008, p. 111). This is one of the details that should not be overlooked. These societies do not resist the influence of religion on the legal norms that regulate the interactions between people. Moreover, one should not forget about such a country as India.

The policy-makers claim that it is a secular state; however, at the same time, India is affected by religious conflicts. For example, one can speak about the confrontations between Hindus and Muslims. Furthermore, it is important to remember about the oppression of Sikhs. These examples are important for understanding the complex role of religion in modern societies that pass a period of dramatic social and political changes. Moreover, in these countries, there are many people, who do not want to accept these changes.

It should be kept in mind that the New World countries are more religious that European ones (Therborn 2013). For example, French Canadians tend to be more religious that people living in France (Therborn 2013). Moreover, in North America, many colonists advocated the idea that their communities would adhere to religious principles. It should be kept in mind that these immigrants, who came from Europe, believed that they could build a society in which Puritan ethics could guide people’s relations with one another. This is one of the reasons why in the United States, people are more willing their religiosity. Therefore, one should keep in mind that cultural and historic legacies can be a significant barrier to complete secularization. Nevertheless, religious institutions do not exercise a strong influence over the work of governments in Canada or the United States.

Additionally, in Latin America, the nationalist movements, which began to emerge in the nineteenth centuries, were lead by Catholic priests. This is why this people can influence the public opinion (Elgenius 2011, Therborn 2013). Therefore, one should take into account that religion can be viewed as one of the values that unifies the nation.

Furthermore, various terrorist acts have been committed by groups that emphasize their religious affiliation (Kurtz 1995; Al-Rasheed & Shterin 2009). To a great extent, the September 11 attacks demonstrated that religious fanaticism can shape international relations as well as the legislation of many countries (Al-Rasheed & Shterin 2009, p. 105). Therefore, one should not suppose that religions have been completely eliminated from public life. Such an assumption can hardly be accurate. To a great extent, these cases show that there are several obstacles that limit the spread of secularism.

Evaluation of secularization

Certainly, the examples discussed in the previous sections should not be disregarded. However, one can still say that the secularization is a dominant trend. First of all, it should be noted that the economic development of many societies eventually decreases the role of religious institutions. Additionally, growing economic development alleviates many conflicts between the representatives of different confessions. It should be noted that secularism is closely related with such a trend as globalization.

In the contemporary world, the national and cultural borders become blurred, and contemporary societies are composed of people who represent various ethnic groups or religions. Under such circumstance, people have to reconcile their possible differences, and one of the solutions is to tolerate the religious beliefs or traditions of one another. Moreover, the majority of very advanced societies advocate the idea of liberalism that downplays the role of religious institutions. This is another factor that intensifies secularism in various countries.

Overall, one can say that the secularization of many societies can be viewed as a positive trend. First of all, it reduces the possibility of state oppression that can be aimed against religious minorities. As it has been said before, people can suffer persecution only because they practice a certain religion. This is one of the pitfalls should be avoided. Secondly, it is necessary to bear in mind that religious institutions do not quickly adapt to social and political transformations. Religious institutions rely on the principles which could be formulated many centuries ago. Thus, they are not always relevant to modern societies.

Moreover, many people can use these texts in order to justify the discrimination of some groups. For example, Biblical narratives were often used to justify the prosecution of homosexual people. These examples should not be regarded as the criticisms of religion. More likely, they are supposed to show that religion can be misused by political leaders. Secondly, secularism can reduce the risk of religious fundamentalism or the attempts to instill archaic behavior principles that were used many centuries ago. This is one of the aspects that can be singled out.

Conclusion

On the whole, this discussion suggests that secularism has become one of the major global trends. This tendency has been observed in various advanced countries in which people are not willing to emphasize their religiosity. However, it is critical to remember that secularism does not imply the rising popularity of atheism. More likely, this phenomenon can be regarded the diminishing influence of religion on public policies. This trend has been examined by many sociologists who note that the attitudes and values of people have dramatically transformed. In particular, they view religion as an inseparable part of their lives. Nevertheless, secularization does undermine the functioning of these societies. More likely, it reduces the risk of conflicts and discrimination.

References

Al-Rasheed, M & Shterin, M 2009, Dying for faith: religiously motivated violence in the contemporary world, I.B. Tauris, Boston.

Bruce, S 1996, Religion in the Modern World: From Cathedrals to Cults, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Bruce, S 2002, God is Dead: Secularization in the West, Blackwell Publishing, New York.

Bruce, S 2008, Fundamentalism, Polity, New York.

Davie, G 1994, Religion in Britain since 1945: Believing without Belonging, Blackwell, Oxford.

Elgenius, G 2011, Symbols of Nations and Nationalism: Celebrating Nationhood, Palgrave Macmillan, London.

Hjelm, T 2010, Religion and Social Problems, Taylor & Francis, New York.

Kurtz, L 1995, Gods in the Global Village: the World’s religions in Sociological Perspective, Pineforge Press, London.

Martin, D 2006, ‘Secularisation and the Future of Christianity’’, Journal of Contemporary Religion, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 145-160.

Therborn, G 2013, The World: A Beginner’s Guide, John Wiley & Sons, New York.

York, M 1995, The Emerging Network: A Sociology of the New Age and Neo-pagan Movements, Rowman & Littlefield, New York.

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