In the following essay I want to start with some statistics and graphics, just to have an overview about the topic and about what religious groups and people we are talking, when discussing the problem of secularization.
The next step will be, that I try to define different catchwords using all the time. I’m going to answer questions like: What is meant by secularization? Which effects and historical phases were crucial? How much influence has globalization on the process of secularism? And in the end: does secularization mean, that religion disappear?
To reach the answers, I’m using different attitudes and theses of several authors and compare them with each others. Finally there are two main standpoints: modernization and secularization dues to a displacement of religion and second, religion is changing in social life, but it never loses it impact on people.
Concluding I want to give up my own statement and try to come to a facit.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Graphics and statistics
3. Different definitions
3.1 Definition sociology of religion
3.2 Definition of secularism
3.3 Definition of resacralization
3.4 Definition of globalization
4. The origin of Secularization and different attitudes
4.1 John Sommerville outlined six uses of the term ‘secularization’
4.2 Historical embedment
4.3 Reason for secularism
4.4 The situation on the end of the 20th century
5. Claus Leggewie’s statement to religion – a more global opinion
6. Thesis 9 by Martin Riesebrodt
7. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay examines whether secularization is an inevitable consequence of modern civilization or general progress, exploring the tension between classical secularization theory and contemporary debates regarding 'desecularization' or 're-sacralisation'.
- The historical development and theoretical definitions of secularization.
- The impact of globalization on religious trends and social boundaries.
- Comparative analysis of religious shifts in Europe versus the United States.
- The evolving role of religion in private and public life.
- Modern socio-religious phenomena, including individualization and re-sacralization.
Excerpt from the Book
The origin of Secularization and different attitudes:
In the following I want to go more into deep about what is meant by using the word ‘secularization’. Sommerville is giving different perspectives and levels. To understand those levels, I tried to give a historical overview, which help to understand the reason for secularization. After this I come to the present and how secularization has developed in the 20th century – with the help of Dr. Rainer Hering.
John Sommerville outlined six uses of the term ‘secularization’:
(1) differentiation: a process in which the various aspects of society, economy and politics – legal and moral - become specialized and distinct from one another (macro social structure)
(2) transformation of a religious into a secular institution: for example the development of institutions like universities from a religious into a secular institution
(3) activity: the transfer of activities from religious to secular institutions, such as a shift in provision of social services from churches to the government
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the scope of the essay, introducing key definitions, the research focus on secularization, and the methodological approach of comparing academic perspectives.
2. Graphics and statistics: This section provides empirical data on religious demographics in Ireland and global denominations to visualize the current landscape of faith.
3. Different definitions: This chapter establishes the conceptual framework by defining sociology of religion, secularism, resacralization, and globalization as fundamental terms for the analysis.
4. The origin of Secularization and different attitudes: This chapter explores the historical roots and various theoretical frameworks of secularization, including Sommerville's six uses and a historical overview of religious development.
5. Claus Leggewie’s statement to religion – a more global opinion: This section analyzes Leggewie’s perspective on globalization as a catalyst for dissolving boundaries, with a specific comparison of religious trajectories in Europe and America.
6. Thesis 9 by Martin Riesebrodt: This chapter discusses Riesebrodt’s theories on institutional differentiation and the persistence of religion as a system of practices.
7. Conclusion: The final chapter synthesizes the discussion, concluding that secularization is a complex, non-linear process that varies significantly across different cultural and historical contexts.
Keywords
Secularization, Sociology of Religion, Globalization, Re-sacralisation, Modernization, Institutional Differentiation, Religious Demographics, Public Sphere, Private Sphere, Religious Pluralism, Historical Sociology, Secularism, Desecularization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this essay?
The essay explores the sociological problem of secularization, questioning whether it is an inherent byproduct of modern progress or if there are counter-trends like re-sacralization.
What are the core thematic fields covered?
The work covers theoretical definitions of religious change, the influence of globalization on religious institutions, and the evolving relationship between the state and the church.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The aim is to discuss the viability of the classical secularization theory against contemporary empirical evidence of religious persistence and transformation.
Which methodology is employed in this study?
The author uses a qualitative approach, analyzing statistical data, reviewing historical developments, and comparing the theses of various authors like Sommerville, Leggewie, and Riesebrodt.
What topics are analyzed in the main body?
The main body examines the evolution of religious demographics, provides conceptual definitions of core terminology, and explores diverse academic viewpoints on the intersection of modernity and religion.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Secularization, Globalization, Re-sacralisation, Sociology of Religion, and Institutional Differentiation.
How does the essay compare the situation in Europe versus America?
The essay highlights that in Europe, secularization led to the privatization of religion, whereas in America, religion remained a more visible element in public and civil life.
What is the significance of the "six uses of secularization" by John Sommerville?
These distinctions allow for a nuanced understanding of secularization, moving beyond a simple decline in faith to include structural changes like differentiation and institutional transformation.
What is the central finding regarding the future of religion?
The essay concludes that there is no singular path for secularization; religion continues to adapt, and its role changes rather than simply disappearing in the modern world.
- Quote paper
- MA Soziologie Gabriele Beyer (Author), 2011, Is secularization a necessary consequence of the rise of the modern world, or of civilisational progress in general?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/211092
