Secular society/religious population: Our tacit rules for using the term 'secularization'

Journal/Book: J Sci Stud Relig. 1998; 37: Purdue University, 1365 Stone Hall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1365. Soc Scientific Study Religion. 249-253.

Abstract: The increasing discussion of ''secularization'' is hampered by several ambiguities. What we need is not some new, academic definition, but to recognize that we already adopt several different meanings for the word, depending on whether we are referring to a society, a population, an institution an activity, or a mentality. Therefore, treating secularization as a general ''decline of religion'' is hardly meaningful. This recognition will make it possible to make sense of the fact that ''Christianity'' and secularization have sometimes increased together. Finally, the magnitude of the subject is vastly increased when it is viewed from the far side of a historical divide which seems real enough, despite measures of continuing religiosity.

Note: Article Sommerville CJ, Univ Florida, Dept Hist, Gainesville,FL 32611 USA

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