secularisation
Sign in to savethumb|270x270px|Importance of religion by country in a 2008-2009 poll by Gallup In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatically antithetical to religion. Secularization has different connotations such as implying differentiation of secular from religious domains, the marginalization of religion in those domains, or it may also entail the transformation of religion as a result of its recharacter
AI overview
Secularization is a sociological concept describing the shift from religious toward more worldly perspectives and systems in society, which can involve separating religious and secular domains or reducing religion's influence in certain areas. It matters because it helps explain broad social changes in how societies are organized and how people relate to religion, though it doesn't necessarily mean religion disappears or that societies become irreligious.
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Article
24 sectionsContents
- Overview
- Background
- Definitions
- History
- Sociological use and differentiation
- Current issues in secularization
- Criticism of secularization theory
- Regional developments
- United States
- 1870–1930
- 2000–2021
- Britain
- History
- Recent developments
- Spain
- Germany
- Asia
- India
- China
- Arab world
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|270x270px|Importance of religion by country in a 2008-2009 poll by Gallup In sociology, secularization () is a multilayered concept that generally denotes "a transition from a religious to a more worldly level." There are many types of secularization and most do not lead to atheism or irreligion, nor are they automatically antithetical to religion. Secularization has different connotations such as implying differentiation of secular from religious domains, the marginalization of religion in those domains, or it may also entail the transformation of religion as a result of its recharacterization (e.g., as a private concern, or as a non-political matter or issue).
The secularization thesis expresses the idea that through the lens of the European enlightenment modernization, rationalization, combined with the ascent of science and technology, religious authority diminishes in all aspects of social life and governance. Pew Research Center notes that economic development is positively correlated with less religiousness. According to Pippa Norris and Ronald Inglehart, "virtually all advanced industrial societies" have become more secular in recent decades.