Josh Hawley

Through the 1980s and '90s, evangelicals sought to turn back the forces of secularization. Groups like the Moral Majority and the Christian Coalition pressed for laws recognizing Christianity's unique place in American life, including laws that would allow prayer in public schools and Christian displays in public places.

American Politician

Peter L. Berger

I think what I and most other sociologists of religion wrote in the 1960s about secularization was a mistake. Our underlying argument was that secularization and modernity go hand in hand. With more modernization comes more secularization.

Austrian Sociologist

Secularization reflects shifts away from religious traditions in society or culture.

Cultural Change

Secularization itself is a neutral term and does not imply bias against religion.

Neutral Term

Secularization can influence laws and governance, separating them from religious doctrine.

Political Implications

Signs of secularization include decreased participation in religious institutions.

Observational Evidence

When secularization occurs, cultural norms and values gradually become more worldly.

Cultural Shifts

Secularization can affect personal belief systems, leading to spiritual diversity.

Personal Beliefs

Historically, secularization sometimes involved transferring church property to non-religious entities.

Historic Events

Secularization in history often led to the redistribution of wealth and power.

Economic Effects

 a decision made in 1935 by Kemal Ataturk, the modernizing first president of Turkey following the Ottoman Empire's collapse. It was this secularization that allowed for removal of the carpets hiding the marble floor decorations

It's a church. It's a...

 is men's employment, their level of education as well as a high score on their country's U.N. Human Development Index. What this means is that human development, not secularization,