SecularizationSecularization

How Do We Know Who How Do We Know Who To Trust?To Trust? We used to just assume that We used to just assume that

authorities were right because they authorities were right because they tended to say “Cause God said so”tended to say “Cause God said so”

Appeals to “divine authority” have Appeals to “divine authority” have lost credibilitylost credibility

People don’t go to priests and People don’t go to priests and mullahs now. They go to mullahs now. They go to sociologists (macro) and sociologists (macro) and psychologists (micro) for answers.psychologists (micro) for answers.

““Secularism”Secularism”

““Religious interpretations of reality Religious interpretations of reality and religious orientations have and religious orientations have yielded to explanations/justifications yielded to explanations/justifications for human behavior made in scientific for human behavior made in scientific and rational terms”and rational terms”

Eventually? A totally religious society?Eventually? A totally religious society?

Belief In Life After Death? 75%Belief That Jesus

Is A Diety? 75%

Belief in God? 90%

Claim Membership In Religious Org? 90%

Pray To God? 90%Belief In Hell?

50%

Nah!

Nah!

Did The U.S. Have Its Did The U.S. Have Its Own “Age Of Faith”?Own “Age Of Faith”?

YearYear % Religious % Religious Adherence*Adherence*

20082008 Barack Obama Elected Barack Obama Elected 66%66%

20002000 George Bush Elected George Bush Elected 68%68%

19921992 Bill Clinton Elected Bill Clinton Elected 70%70%

19801980 Ronald Reagan Elected Ronald Reagan Elected 62%62%

19691969 Moon Landing Moon Landing 62%62%

19571957 “Leave It To Beaver” On “Leave It To Beaver” On TVTV

60%60%

19301930 Great Depression Great Depression 56%56%

19141914 World War I World War I 53%53%

18611861 Civil War Civil War 37%37%

17761776 Signing Of Declaration Signing Of Declaration 17%17%* Various sources including Gallup, Statistical Abstracts, Adherents.Com, Finke and Stark’s Churching Of America

Changes In Influence?Changes In Influence?

Education

Polity

Media

Market

HousingLaw

Leisure

Family

Religion

Religionization

Religion Influences Institutions

Education

Polity

Media

Market

HousingLaw

Leisure

Family

CulturalSecularization

Religion Is Equal To Other

Institutions

ReligiousSecularization

Institutions Influence Religion

Religion

Another Way To See This?Another Way To See This?“Loss Of Religious “Loss Of Religious

Authority”Authority”

Education

Polity

Media

Market

HousingLaw

Leisure

Family

Religion

InstitutionalSecularization

LaicizationLoss of authority over

other institutions

Organizational SecularizatonInternal SecularizationLoss of authority overreligious orgs

Individual Secularization

Religious DisinvolvementLoss of authority over

individuals and congregants

Religionization

Religions Maintain Authority Everywhere

Polity

Education

Law

Leisure

Housing

Market

Media

Family

Civil ReligionCivil Religion

Also called “religion-in-general” and “religion of Also called “religion-in-general” and “religion of the republic”the republic”

Americans share common religious Americans share common religious characteristics (beliefs, symbols, sacred places, characteristics (beliefs, symbols, sacred places, rituals, holydays, martyrs) and a sense of our rituals, holydays, martyrs) and a sense of our nation’s sacrednessnation’s sacredness

We’re “one nation under God”, “in God we trust”, we ask that We’re “one nation under God”, “in God we trust”, we ask that “God Bless America”, our “eyes have seen the glory of the coming “God Bless America”, our “eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord”, and we’re “endowed by God with certain unalienable of the Lord”, and we’re “endowed by God with certain unalienable rights”.rights”.

We pray to God in moments of crisis, transition, memory, and We pray to God in moments of crisis, transition, memory, and thanksgivingthanksgiving

We celebrate God’s (?) birth and death/resurrection as national We celebrate God’s (?) birth and death/resurrection as national holidays.holidays.

While no American president mentions Christ in his inaugural While no American president mentions Christ in his inaugural address, ALL of them mention “God”address, ALL of them mention “God”

“The same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue around the globe - the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.” JFK 1961

But Is The American Version Of Civil Religion Truly

“Secular”?