Coleman-The Secular-A Sociological View (the Way, Vol. 30, Núm. 1, 1990)

7/25/2019 Coleman-The Secular-A Sociological View (the Way, Vol. 30, Núm. 1, 1990)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/coleman-the-secular-a-sociological-view-the-way-vol-30-num-1-1990 1/10

16

T H E S E C U L A R A

S O C I O L O G I C A L V I E W

B y J O H N A . C O L E M A N

N T H I S A R T I C L E I w a n t t o p o s e , b r i e f ly , f o u r q u e s t i o n s a b o u t

t h e s e c u l a r f r o m a s o c i o l o g i c a l v i e w : ( 1 ) H o w s e c u l a r i s t h e

m o d e r n w o r l d ? ( 2) I f t h e r e i s a k i n d o f s e c u l a r i z a t i o n , i n

w h a t d o e s i t c o n s i s t ? ( 3 ) I s s e c u l a r i t y a b l e s s i n g o r a c u r s e f o r

r e li g io n ? ( 4 ) W h a t a r e th e a d v a n t a g e s o f f i n d in g m o r e o f t h e s a c r e d

i n t h e s e c u l a r , i n l o o k i n g f o r s e c u l a r b le s s in g s ? E l s e w h e r e , I h a v e

a r g u e d , a t s o m e le n g t h , t h a t t h e s e c u l a r i z a t i o n t h e si s i n s o c i o l o g y

is n e i t h e r , p r o p e r l y , a t e s ta b l e th e o r y n o r e v e n o n e c o h e r e n t

c o n c e p t . P e o p l e w h o a p p e a l t o it a r e a t c r o s s p u r p o s e s a n d r e f e r

t o q u i t e d i ff e r e n t p h e n o m e n a r a n g i n g f r o m a l ie n a t io n , t h e w i t h e r i n g

a w a y o f r e l ig i o n , t o v a g u e f e e li n g s t h a t r e li g io n h a s l o s t s o m e

i n f lu e n c e a t th e i n s t i t u ti o n a l l ev e l (t h e r e i s n o t m u c h e v i d e n c e

t h a t i n d i v i d u a l s h a v e c e a s e d to b e r e l ig i o u s) . A t p r e s e n t , t h e

s e c u l a r i z a t io n t h e si s is n e i t h e r p r o v e n n o r p r o v a b l e . 1 Y e t t h e

s o c io l o g ic a l d e b a t e s a b o u t th e p r o c e s s a n d m e a n i n g o f s e c u l a r i z a t i o n

c o n t in u e u n a b a t e d . 2

H o w secular is the modern w orld?

S t r o n g f o r m s o f t h e s e c u l a r i z a t i o n t h e s is i n t h e s o c i a l s c i e n c e s

p o s t u l a t e th a t l a r g e c u l tu r a l a n d s t r u c t u r a l f a c t o r s i n m o d e r n i t y

( s u m m a t i v e u n i t s su c h a s u r b a n i z a t i o n , i n d u s t ri a l i z a ti o n , m e t h o d i -

c a l t e c h n i c a l - r a t i o n a l i t y , r a d i c a l c u l t u r a l p l u r a l i s m ) l e a d to a n

e n d u r i n g a n d i r r e v e r s ib l e p r o c e s s o f r e li g io u s e r o s io n , a d i m i n u t i o n

o f t h e q u a n t u m o f t h e s a c r e d as o p p o s e d t o t h e s e c ul ar . M o d e r n i t y ,

in th is th e s is , f o l lo w i n g M a x W e b e r , i n e x o r a b l y b r i n g s a b o u t a

d i s e n c h a n t m e n t o f t h e w o r l d a n d t h e s te a d y d e c l i n e o f

charisma

O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y s o c io lo g is t, B r y a n W i ls o n , p r o b a b l y th e m a j o r

e x p o n e n t o f a r e l a ti v e l y s t r o n g f o r m o f t h is s e c u l a r i z a ti o n t h e si s,

d e f i n e s t h e c o n c e p t : I n e s s e n c e , it r e l a te s to a p r o c e s s o f t r a n s f e r

o f p r o p e r t y , p o w e r , a c t i v it ie s a n d b o t h m a n i f e s t a n d l a t e n t f u n c t io n s

f r o m i n s t i t u t io n s w i t h a s u p e r n a t u r a l i s t f r a m e o f r e f e r e n c e to

( o f te n n e w ) i n s t it u t io n s o p e r a t i n g a c c o r d i n g t o e m p i r i c a l , r a t io n a l ,



THE SECULAR: A SOCI OLOG ICAL VIEW 7

p r a g m a t i c c r i t e r i a ' . A s a r e s u l t , ' r e l ig i o n h a s lo s t i ts p r e s i d e n c y

o v e r o t h e r i n s t i t u t i o n s ' . 3

A m o n g s o c i o lo g i st s o f re lig io n~ B r y a n W i l s o n , P e t e r B e r g e r a n d

T h o m a s L u c k m a n n h o l d s o m e v e r s io n o f t h e s e cu l a ri z a ti o n t he s is

t o b e tr u e . R o b e r t B e l la h a n d A n d r e w G r e e l e y , o n th e o t h e r h a n d ,

s t r o n g l y c o n t e s t t h e th e s is a s a s p e c ie s o f E n l i g h t e n m e n t d o g m a

( it se l f a n u n s u b s t a n t i a t e d b u t f i r m l y h e ld b e l i e f) w i t h l it tl e w a r r a n t

i n t h e e m p i r i c a l e v i d e n c e . T h e y a s s e r t t h a t r e l i g i o n i s a n a n t h r o p o -

l o g i c a l a n d s o c i o l o g i c al u n i v e r s a l , f u n c t i o n a l l y n e c e s s a r y f o r a n y

w e l l - o r d e r e d a n d h e a l t h y s o c i e t y . T h e y a s s u m e t h a t r e l i g i o n w i l l

b e f o u n d u n i v e r s a l ly , i f n o t i n v i g o r o u s C h u r c h l if e t h e n i n s o m e

f u n c t i o n a l l y e q u i v a l e n t c u l t u ra l o r s t ru c t u r a l c a r r ie r o f m e a n i n g ,

m y t h a n d t ra n s c e n d e n c e . T h e s a c r ed , G r e e l e y a n d B e l la h a r g u e ,

i s n o t s o m u c h f a d i n g a w a y a s s h i f t i n g i t s l o c u s ( p e r h a p s o u t s i d e

t h e m a i n l i n e C h u r c h e s i n a k in d o f n o n - i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d r e li g io n

o r in p r i v a t e r e l ig i o n a n d , f in a ll y , in t h e e r u p t i o n o f n e w r e l i g i o u s

m o v e m e n t s ) . 4 R o d n e y S t a r k h a s a r g u e d , p e r s u a s i v e l y , t h a t s e c u l a r-

i z a ti o n ( i. e . t h e r e d u c t i o n o f e v e r l a r g e r a r e a s o f l i f e - - a s y m p t o t i c a -

l ly , p e rh a p s , t h e r e d u c t i o n o f t h e w h o l e o f m o d e r n l i f e - - t o W i l s o n ' s

' t h e e m p i r i c a l , r a t i o n a l a n d p r a g m a t i c ' ) is a s e l f -l i m i t in g c o n c e p t .

S e c u l a r i z a t i o n c o n t i n u a l l y g e n e r a t e s c o u n t e r v a i l i n g s a c r a l i z a t i o n

r e sp o n s es . A s C h u r c h e s d e c li n e i n n u m b e r s a n d p o w e r , n e w s e cts

a n d c u lt s e m e r g e . 5

D e f in i t i o n s : s e c u l a r s a c r e d s e c u l a r i s m s e c u l a r @

V e r y c l e a r l y , s o m e d e f i n i t i o n s a r e i n o r d e r . B y ' t h e s e c u l a r ' I

m e a n r e gi on s o f li fe t h a t m a n [ s i c ] u n d e r s t a n d s a n d c o n t r o l s , n o t

n e c e s s a r i l y c o m p l e t e l y b u t f o r a ll p r a c t ic a l p u r p o s e s ' . 6 T h e s e a r e

r e g i o n s to w a r d w h i c h h u m a n s a d o p t a b a s i c a l ly u t i l it a r i a n a t t i tu d e

o f m a s t e r y a n d c o n tr o l, m a k i n g j u d g m e n t s o n t he b a si s o f t h e

t e c h n i ca l a d e q u a c y o f m e a n s t o a c h i e v e s ti p u l a t e d g o a ls . B y ' t h e

s a c re d ' I m e a n t h e a r e a o f m y s t e r y - - t h e i n c o m p r e h e n s i b le , i n d o m i -

t a b l e a n d s e r i o u sl y a n d s u p r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t , f o r th e s a c r e d e x c e e d s

n o t o n l y o u r c o n t ro l b u t o u r c o m p r e h e n s i o n ' . 7 O u r c h a r ac t er is t i c

a t t i t u d e s t o w a r d t h e s a c r e d a r e a w e , c e l e b r a t i o n , p a r t i c i p a t o r y

c o n t e m p l a t i o n a n d g r a t i t u d e r a t h e r t h a n m a s t e r y .

T h e s a c r e d a n d t h e s e c u l a r a r e n o t o n c e - f o r - a l l f i x e d a n d c o m -

p l et e ly s e p a r ab l e d o m a i n s . A s E m i l e D u r k h e i m r e m i n d e d u s , a lm o s t

a n y t h i n g c a n , i n p r in c ip l e, c o u n t a s t h e m a t e r i a l e m b o d i m e n t

( th e e m b l e m ) o f t h e s a c r e d a n d , s i m i la r ly , t h r o u g h a p r o c e s s o f

d e s a c r a l i z a ti o n r e t u r n s y m b o l i c a l ly t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e p r o f a n e .



8 THE SECULAR: A SOCI OLOGI CAL VIEW

T h e r e v e r s e is a ls o t r u e . N o t o r i o u s l y , t r a n s c e n d e n t a n d p r o p h e t i c

r e l i g i o n s ' s e c u l a r i z e ' s a c r al c l a im s a s m u c h a s t h e y s a c r a li z e t h e

t r a n s c e n d e n t . A l l t h e g r e a t w o r l d r e l ig i o n s c o n t a i n t h e o r i e s o f f a ls e

a n d c o u n t e r f e i t r e l ig i o n .

A g a i n , w h a t i s c o n v e n t i o n a l l y l a b e l le d a s s e c u l a r ( e .g . s c i e n c e )

m a y h a v e f o r c e r t a i n p e o p l e r e l ig i o u s s i g n i fi c a n c e ( as , f o r e x a m p l e ,

s c ie n ce d id b o t h f o r N e w t o n a n d T e i l h a r d d e C h a r d i n ) a n d v i ce

v e r s a . I f i t is o f r e l i g i o u s s i g n i f i c a n c e , p e o p l e w i ll d e f i n e t h e i r

' s e c u l a r ' s i tu a t i o n i n t e r m s o f u l t i m a t e v a l u e s. P o l i t ic s m a y b e

e i t h e r m a c h i a v e l l i a n o r a n i n s ta n c e o f d o i n g G o d ' s j u s t ic e o n e a r t h .

~ S e c ul ar ' w o r k c a n b e c o m e a c o - c r e a t i o n a n d a w o r l d l y ' c a ll in g ' .

M o r e o v e r , w h a t is c o n v e n t i o n a l l y l a b e l le d a s r e li g io u s m a y h a v e

t h e q u a l i t y o f t h e s e c u la r . I t s h o u l d c a u s e n o s u r p r i s e w h e n

w e d i s c o v e r t h a t t r a d i t i o n a l r e li g io u s i n v o l v e m e n t s e rv e s . m e r e l y

i n s t r u m e n t a l t h i s -w o r l d l y e n d s f o r m a n y p e o p l e . 8 T h e y u s e r e l ig i o n

i n s e r v i ce o f w o r l d l y p o w e r , s t a tu s o r w e a l th .

B y ' s e c u l a r i s m ' I m e a n :

t he de n i a l t ha t a s a c r e d o r d e r e x is ts , t h e c o nv i c t i on t ha t t he

u n i v e r s e i s i n n o m e a n i n g f u l s e n s e a n e x p r e s s i o n o r e m b o d i m e n t

o f p u r p o s e , t h e b e l ie f t h a t i t is u n r e a s o n a b l e , o t h e r t h a n a n t h r o p o -

m or ph i c a l y , t o ha ve t ow a r d t he un i ve r s e o r i t s ' g r ound ' a r e l a t i on -

s h i p m e d i a t e d b y c o m m u n i c a t i o n o r b y a n y e x c h a n g e o f

m e a n i n g s - - t o h a v e t o w a r d i t a r e la t io n s h i p i n a n y s e n s e p e r s o n a l. 9

S e c u l a r i s m , l ik e a t h e i s m , c a n b e e i t h e r i n t e n t i o n a l a n d e x p l i c i t o r

p r a c t i c a l . I t c a n a ls o b e c o m p a r t m e n t a l i z e d i n i s o l a te d a t t i t u d e s

t o w a r d c e r t a i n i n s t i t u t i o n a l s e c to r s o f s o c i e ty f r o m w h i c h a ll r e l i-

g i o u s c o n c e r n i s b a n i s h e d ( e .g . t h e e c o n o m y ) .

' S e c u l a r i t y ' is a n e u t r a l t e r m . I t s e r v e s a s a r e f e r e n c e w o r d f o r

d o m a i n s o r a sp e c t s o f l i f e u n d e r d i re c t h u m a n c o n t r o l o r m a n i p u l a -

t i o n w i t h o u t p a r t i c u l a r r e g a r d f o r a n y s a c r e d o r d e r . T h e d i r e c t

r e l e v a n c e o f a s a c r e d o r d e r a s s u c h , o r s o m e i n d i r e c t r e l e v a n c e to

t h e a r e a i n q u e s t i o n , o r , f in a l ly , m o r e d i r e c t im p a c t o f t h a t o r d e r

t o o t h e r a r e a s o r a s p e c t s o f l if e is n o t d e n i e d , m e r e l y b r a c k e t e d f o r

p r a g m a t i c , l i m i t e d p u r p o s e s . O b v i o u s l y , a n i n c r e a s e i n s e c u l a r i t y

is le ss o f a h e a d - o n t h r e a t t o t h e s a c r e d t h a n a n i n c r e a s e i n

s e c u l ar i sm . N o r d o e s s e c u l ar i ty a s s u m e t h e e v e n t u a l d e m i s e o f t h e

s a c re d . A t le a s t so m e t r a n s c e n d e n t r e l ig i o n s ( C h r i s t i a n i t y a m o n g

t h e m ) a s s u m e r a d i ca l d i s t in c t i o n s b e t w e e n G o d a n d c r e a t i o n . T h e y

i m p l y ( a n d b le ss ) , t h e r e b y , a l a r g e s e m i - a u t o n o m o u s d o m a i n o f

t h e l e g i t i m a t e l y s e c u l a r .



THE SECULAR: A SOCI OLOGI CAL VIEW 9

T o t h e q u e s t i o n , t h e n , h o w s e c u la r is t h e m o d e r n w o r l d , w e c a n

a n s w e r , u n e q u i v o c a l l y , t h a t ' s e c u l a r i s m ' r e p r e s e n t s a m i n u t e , a n d

b y n o m e a n s g r o w i n g , f r a c ti o n o f m o d e r n p o p u l a t i o n s i n E u r o p e

a n d N o r t h A m e r i c a o r t h e t h i r d w o r l d ( c ir c a 1 - 3 o f t h e t o ta l

p o p u l a t i o n ) , a n i s o l a te d e li te . S e c u l a r i s m d o e s n o t r e p r e s e n t a

s t a t i s t i c a l l y s i g n i f i c a n t f a c t o r i n m o d e r n i t y . I n d e e d , m o s t e x p l i c i t l y

s e c u la r is t id e o l o g ie s ( e .g . M a r x i s m , P o s i t iv i s m ) a r e i n s o m e d i s a r r a y

a t p r e s e n t . N o t o r i o u s l y , s o c io l o g ic a l s u r v e y s u n c o v e r t h a t t h e

u n c h u r c h e d i n m o d e r n s o c ie t ie s c o n t i n u e t o a d h e r e t o re l ig i o u s

b e li e fs a n d p r a c t ic e s s u c h a s p r a y e r o r b e l ie f i n G o d . T h e s a c r e d

s h o u l d n o t b e e q u a t e d , u n i la t er a ll y , w i t h C h u r c h m e m b e r s h i p . T h e

l a t t e r c a n d e c l in e w i t h o u t a n y s o ci al d i m i n u t i o n o f t h e s a c r e d a s

s u c h .

P r e s u m a b l y , w i t h i n c r e a s i n g l y c o m p l e x s o c i e t a l d i f f e r e n t i a t i o n ,

t h e r e i s m o r e o f s e c u l a r it y in m o d e r n i t y t h a n d u r i n g e a r li e r e p o c h s ,

a l t h o u g h , t o b e h o n e s t , w e l ac k e v e n s u ff ic ie n t h i s to r i c al e v i d e n c e

t o b e a b s o l u t e l y c e r t a in e v e n o n t h is p o i n t. B u t a n i n c r e a s e i n

s e c u l a r it y n e e d n o t e n ta i l a d e c r e a s e i n th e q u a n t u m o f t h e s a c r e d ,

e i t h e r a b s o l u t e l y o r r e l a t i v e t o t h e s e c u l a r .

cience and the sacred

S o c io lo g is t H a n s M o l p o in t s t o a n i d e o l o g i c a l a s s u m p t i o n in

m o s t v e r s i o n s o f t h e s e c u l a r i z a t io n t h e si s w h e n h e a r g u e s t h a t

t h e p o t e n t i a l d o m a i n o f s c i e n c e a n d r a t i o n a l i t y h a s s t r ic t l im i t s .

' O b j e c t i v e o b s e r v a t i o n a n d s t r ic t c a n o n s o f r a t i o n a l it y a n d s c ep t i-

c i s m a p p e a r t o b e d y s f u n c t i o n a l f o r i n d i v i d u a l a n d s o c i a l i d e n t i t y . '

T h e s i g n a l fa i l u r e o f s c i e n c e t o r e p l a c e m y t h o r r e l ig i o n a s a

s a c r a li z in g m e c h a n i s m is d u e t o ' it s d e m o n s t r a b l e i n c a p a c i t y t o

a n c h o r a c o m p r e h e n s i v e s y s t em o f m e a n i n g e m o t i o n a l ly ' . 1° M o l

r id i cu l es t h e a r r o g a n c e a n d n a i v e o p t i m i s m o f t h o se w h o v i e w

r e li g io n a s a d i s p e n s a b l e e l e m e n t o n c e s c ie n c e a n d t e c h n o l o g y h a v e

s o l v e d a ll o f l i f e 's p r o b l e m s . I m p l i c i t i n th i s v i e w a r e t w o h i g h l y

q u e s t i o n a b l e a s s u m p t i o n s : ( 1) t h a t a ll ' p r o b l e m s ' a r e o f t h e o r d e r

o f t e c h n i c a l m a s t e r y p r o b l e m s a n d t h a t n o n e a r e d i f fe r e n t - o r d e r

p r o b l e m s o f p e r s o n a l i d e n t i ty , i n t e r p r e t iv e m e a n i n g a n d i n t e g r a t i o n

i n t o a c o m m u n i t y ( t h e s e t h r e e , i n e x o r a b l y , r a i s e t h e r e l i g i o u s

q u e s t io n ) , a n d ( 2) t h a t h u m a n p r o b l e m s a r e fin ite in n u m b e r s u c h

t h a t s c i e nc e i n e v i t a b l y r e d u c e s th e r e a l m o f t h e p r o b l e m a t i c . W h a t

i f s o lu t io n s t o g i ve n p r o b l e m s b y s c ie n c e u n l e a s h n e w a n d m o r e

c o m p l i c a te d i s su e s o f c o n t i n g e n c y , b a f f le m e n t a n d u n c e r t a i n t y ? T h e

t r i u m p h o f s c ie n c e c o u ld a c t u a l ly i n c r e a s e t h e p o t e n t i a l r e a l m o f




t h e s a cr e d . T h e r e la t io n b e t w e e n t h e s a c r e d a n d t h e s e c u la r n e e d

n o t b e o f a z e r o - s u m s o r t.

I n d e e d , P r i n c e t o n s oc io lo g is t R o b e r t W u t h n o w s u gg e s t s t h a t a n y

s e e m i n g l y p o t e n t i a l c o n fl ic t b e t w e e n s c ie n c e a n d r e l i g io n m a y b e

d u e m o r e t o g r e a t e r s e l f - s e le c t i o n o f s c i e n ti f ic c a r e e r s b y s e c u l a r i s ts

t h a n t o w h a t h a p p e n s a s s c i e n t i s t s a r e s o c i a l i z e d i n t o s c i e n c e a s

s u c h . M o r e o v e r , t h e m o r e r i g o r o u s t h e s c ie n c e ( e .g . p h y s i c s v s.

t h e s o c ia l s c ie n c e s ), t h e h i g h e r th e p e r c e n t a g e o f r e l ig i o u s a d h e r e n t s

a m o n g its p r a c t i t io n e r s . W u t h n o w c o m m e n t s ,

T h e p r ove r b i a l con f l ic t be t w e en r e l ig i on an d s c ience m ay be

m or e a f un c t i on o f t he p r eca r i ous nes s o f s c ience t han o f t he

p r eca r i ous nes s o f r e l ig i on . R a t he r t h an r e l ig i on be i ng c ons t an t l y

on the run , so to speak , in the f ace of ever ad va nc ing sc ien t if i c

know l edge , s c i en t i s t s have had t o ca r ve ou t a s pace i n w h i ch t o

w or k by d i s s oc i a t i ng t hems e l ves f r om t he pow er f u l c l a i ms w h i ch

r e l ig i on has ha d t r ad i t i ona l l y and w h i ch i t still appea r s t o c om m an d

ove r the ev ery da y l if e o f co nte m po rary soc ie ty . 11

I n t h i s v i e w , s e c u l a r i s m a m o n g s o m e s c ie n t is ts is m o r e a f u n c t i o n

o f b o u n d a r y - m a i n t e n a n c e f r o m t h e a r e n a o f e v e r y d a y l i fe ( t h e l ife -

w o r l d ) w h e r e r e l ig i o u s c l a i m s s ti l l r e m a i n p o w e r f u l t h a n o f a c le a r

a n d i n e v i ta b l e b o u n d a r y - c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n s c ie n c e a n d r e li g io n . T h e

v e r y n e e d to s u s t a i n s u ch b o u n d a r y - m a i n t e n a n c e f r o m e v e r y d a y

l if e a c t u a l l y d i m i n i s h e s s e v e r e ly th e p o w e r o f s c ie n c e to c o m p e t e

w i t h r e l i g i o n a t a n e m o t i o n a l o r m y t h i c le v e l. I n a n y e v e n t , t h e b e s t

s o c i o l o g i c a l e v i d e n c e a b o u t t h e s e c u l a r i z a t i o n t h e s i s , s e c u l a r i s m ,

s e c u l a r i t y a n d t h e p e rs i s te n c e ( i n d e e d , s u r p r i s i n g n e w e r u p t i o n s )

o f t h e s a c r e d i n m o d e r n i t y w o u l d s u s t a in R o b e r t B e l la h s c o n t e n t i o n

t h a t t h e m o d e r n p e r i o d is a s p r e g n a n t w i t h re l ig i o u s p o s s ib i l i ty a s

a n y o t h e r e ra .1 2

I f there is a sort of secularization in wh at d oes i t consist?

I n a n e a r l i e r c i t e d a r t i c l e , I a r g u e t h a t w e s h o u l d r e p l a c e

t h e m i s g u i d e d a n d o v e r b l o w n s e c u l a r i z a ti o n h y p o t h e s i s o f s o m e

i n e v i t a b l e d e c l in e o f r e l ig i o n . Y e t t h e h y p o t h e s i s c o n t i n u e s t o g a i n

a d h e r e n t s b e c a u s e i t c o n t a i n s s o m e t r u t h . I s u g g e s t t h a t w e n e e d

t o p a r s e o u t f iv e i m p o r t a n t s h if ts i n m o d e r n r e l ig i o n w h i c h g i v e

t h e h y p o t h e s i s w h a t e v e r p l a u s i b i li t y i t c o n t a in s . N o n e s u s t a in a n

a r g u m e n t t h a t s o m e i n e v i t a b le c a u s a l f o rc e s b r i n g a b o u t t h e d ec l in e

o f t h e s a c r e d i n m o d e r n i t y . T h e y p o i n t t o t h e s h i f t i n g ~ oc us o f t h e

s a c r e d m o r e t h a n t o i t s d i m i n u t i o n .



THE S EC ULAR A S OC I OLOGI C AL VI EW

21

1 A n increasing pluralism in w orld-views an d sacred canopies

As Robert Bellah notes, in modern pluralistic societies, 'It is not

that life has become a on e possibility th in g but that it has

become an infinite possibility thing'. 13 In a situat ion of radical

pluralism, doctrinal uni form ity becomes more difficult for Churches

to maintain. Even the extremely orthodox must now become self-

consciously so. They know their orthodoxy is a self-chosen project

rather than a mirro r of the way things inexorably are. Peter Berger

refers to this need to be self-conscious about pluralism as 'the

heretical imperative'.

2 The loss of monopoly control by the Churches over of fc ial mo dels of

religion in society an d even the individual religious impulse

As Bellah states it,

The symbolization of man's [sic] relation to the ultimate conditions

of existence is no longer the monopoly of any groups explicitly

labelled religious.. However much the development of Western

Christianity may have led up to and in a sense created the modern

religious situation, it just as obviously is no longer in control over

it. 4

If religion has gained a new respectability in the contemporary

world, it is by no means evident that the organized Churches will

be the unique or, even pr ima ry recipient of the benefits. Indeed,

many contemporaries assert that they are 'spiritual' but not 'religi-

ous' as a way of distinguishing their religion fr om that of the

organized Churches.

3 Th e rise o f individual autonom y in religious ma tters

Creeds begin to be subjected to far-reaching personal reinterpret-

ation. It becomes more difficult for Churches to maint ain inner

discipline over belief. Sociologically, Catholics and Evangelicals are

quite selective, in a pick and choose mann er , of the authorita tive

dogmas they accept. 15 Selective believers do not feel their selectivity

in any way diminishes their membership in the Church.

4 The privat iza t ion of re ligion

The majority of sociologists of religion accept some versions of

the contention that religion has become more privatized, less a

'publicly' available value and influence in directing or shaping the

megastructures of society (the state, the economy, rationalized

health and education systems) which largely determines the course

of mod ern life. However, as Roland Robert son notes, if religion



22 T H E S E C U L A R A S O C I O L O G I C A L V I E W

h a s b e c o m e m o r e p r i v a t e i n i n t ra - s o c i e ta l i n t e r a c t io n s , i t h a s f o u n d

n e w p u b l i c s a li en c e in th e e m e r g i n g g l o b a li z a ti o n a n d w o r l d - s y s t e m

p h e n o m e n a o f o u r ti m e . F o r o n l y a re l ig i o u s s e n s i b il it y c a n r e l a te

t o a n d d e f i n e a g lo b a l c i r c u m s t a n c e a n d r e l a t i o n ' a s a w h o l e ' .

H e n c e , n e w e n v ir o n m e n t a l , a n t i- n u c le a r a n d h u m a n r ig h ts g r o u p s

a n d m o v e m e n t s h a v e s t r o n g a n d p u b l i c r e li g io u s r h e to r ic s a n d

m o tif s. 16

5 G r e ate r i n s t i t u t i ona l au t ono m y o f non - r e l i g ious dom ai ns

F i n a l ly , t h e r e is g e n e r a l u n a n i m i t y a m o n g s o c i o l o g is t s t h a t a t

l e a st s o m e i n s t i tu t i o n a l s e c t o rs o f s o c i e t y e n j o y g r e a t e r i n s t i tu t i o n a l

a u t o n o m y v i s - d - v i s r e l i g i o n t h a n p r e v i o u s l y . N e w a u t o n o m y s h o u l d

n o t b e e q u a t e d w i t h s e c u l a r i s m o r a n i n c r e a s e i n s e c u l a r i t y t ou t

court s i n c e r e l i g i o n m a y b e m o r e i m p o r t a n t f o r s o m e s o c i e t a l

i n s t i t u t i o n s t h a n b e f o r e ( e . g . i n t h e d e f i n i t io n o f e t h n i c o r r a c ia l

i d e n t it ie s ) . T h e i ss u e is l es s o n e o f t h e d i m i n u t i o n o f t h e s a c r e d

t h a n a s h if t i n c o n t r o l , b o t h c o n t r o l o v e r t h e s a c r e d a n d c o n t r o l

b y t h e s a c r e d o f o t h e r i n s t it u t io n a l s e c to r s o f s o c i e ty . A s B e l la h

p u t s i t , ' w h a t i s g e n e r a l l y c a l l e d s e c u l a r i z a t i o n a n d t h e d e c l i n e o f

r e li g io n w o u l d a p p e a r a s t h e d e c l i n e o f t h e e x t e r n a l c o n t r o l s y s t e m

o f r e l i g i o n a n d t h e d e c l i n e o f t r a d i t i o n a l r e l i g i o u s b e li ef '. 1 7

I s s ecular i t y a b les s ing or a curse fo r re l ig ion?

A g r e a t d e a l o f s o c io l o g ic a l r e s e a r c h e v i d e n c e s u g g e s t s t h a t t o o

g r e a t a d o s e o f s e c u l a ri ty c a n c a u s e p r o b l e m s f o r o r g a n i z e d

C h u r c h e s . A s o ci o lo g i c al t r u i s m r u n s : t o o g r e a t t e n s i o n b e t w e e n

C h u r c h e s a n d t h e i r s o c i o - c u l t u r a l e n v i r o n m e n t a s w e l l a s t o o l it tl e

t e n s i o n s p e ll s d a n g e r t o t h e C h u r c h . T o o g r e a t t e n s i o n le a d s ,

g e n e r a l l y , t o se c t- li k e b e h a v i o u r w h e r e a d o c t r i n a l p u r i t y r e i g n s

w h i c h d i m i n i s h e s w o r l d l y m i s s io n a n d r e l e v a n c e . T o o l it tl e t e n s i o n

r ais es q u e s t io n s f o r m e m b e r s a b o u t w h a t d i ff er e nc e C h u r c h m e m -

b e r s h i p a c t u a l l y a d d s t o g e n e r a l s o c i e t a l a n d c u l t u r a l b e l o n g i n g .

E s t ab l is h e d C h u r c h e s s u c h as t he C h u r c h o f S w e d e n ( o r t he C h u r c h

o f E n g l a n d ) t e n d t o s u f fe r m e m b e r s h i p l o s s - - o r , a t t h e l ea s t,

l u k ew a r m c o m m i t m e n t s a m o n g m e m b e r s - - w h e n t he y b e c o m e

m e r e l y t h e c u l t u r a l ~ lite a t p r a y e r u s i n g t h e l a n g u a g e o f t r a n s c e n -

d e n c e s i m p l y t o a ff ir m t h e c u l t u r a l p l a t i t u d e s o f t h e d a y .

T h u s , s e c u l a ri ty r e p r e s e n t s a m i x e d b l e s s in g f o r C h u r c h e s .

E s p e c i a l l y i n r e l i g i o u s l y p l u r a l i s t i c s o c i e t i e s s u c h a s G r e a t B r i t a i n ,

t he U n i t e d S ta te s a n d C a n a d a , d e n o m i n a t io n s s e rv e a q u a s i-

e t h n i c i d e n t i t y f u n c t i o n , p r o v i d i n g m e a n i n g , b e l o n g i n g a n d i d e n t i t y

s y m b o l s w h ic h m a r k m e m b e r s o f f f r o m w i d e r s e c u la r c u l t u re .



THE S EC ULAR A S OC I OLOGI C AL VI EW

3

Amidst a wide-ranging pluralism, Church membership provides

an anchor of identity and clues to behaviour. The sociological

evidence for the United States is quite clear that the mainline

liberal Protestant Churches have been losing members for several

decades because of a failure to maintain a viable Church discipline

of distinctive beliefs and behaviour, ta Th ey seem too secular. As

Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge have shown in their award-

winning study of Churches-sects-cults in the United States and

Western Europe, T h e f u l u r e o f r e lig io n when the secularized Churches

fail to maintain distinctive transcendent beliefs and behaviour,

other groups move in to fill the need and void. Clearly, one reason

for the success of evangelical-fundamentalist groups in the Unit ed

States is their ability to maintain a clear-but-relevant boundary

between Chr ist ian belief and life and the wider secular culture. ,9

Hans Mol in his research on Dutch immigrants to New Zealand

fou nd that ~the least secularized religious organizat ions were the

most viable and retained the best hold on their immigrant member-

ship . In another research project also carried out in New Zea land,

Mol found that those religious organizations most in tune with

secular society proved also to be least capable of integrating

the native Polynesians and white settlers into one worshipping

community. By contrast, the Mo rm on s mixe d the races effortlessly,

demonst rati ng that the least secularized religious organizations

were the most cohesive and could (and did) act independently of

secular cu lture .

Mol concludes:

These findings suggested that, if the concept of secularization were

to apply at all, one would have to distinguish between cultural

and institutional secularization--between the decreasing influence

of religious institutions [on the wider secular society] and the

tendency disposing religious institutions to become part of and

like the world. Since those churches and sects whose insti tutional

secularization was minimal were also the fastest growing and most

viable, I suggested that cul tural secularization seemed to conjure

up its own opposite (lessening secularization) at least in some

Christian churches. 2°

A Ch urc h strong in its cohesive transcendent belief and practices

(such as the medieval Church) could afford to dispense multiple

blessings on the secular. Absent such strength, such blessings may

actually eviscerate the Church. I do not much like this conclusion




b u t i ts s o c i o lo g i ca l w a r r a n t s s e e m t o o w e l l - g r o u n d e d t o i g n o r e .

P e r h a p s a m o r e t h e o l o g i c a l w a y o f p u t t i n g t h is is t o sa y : w h i l e t h e

C h u r c h m u s t a c c u l t u r a t e to g a i n a h e a r i n g f o r t h e g o sp e l , g e n u i n e

g o s p e l p r e a c h i n g w il l u n s e t t le f i r m a s s u m p t i o n s i n a n y c u l t u r e

w e k n o w . A c c u l t u r a t i o n w h i c h d o e s n o t t a k e in t o a c c o u n t t h e

s i m u l t a n e o u s n e e d t o e v a n g e l i z e e v e r y c u l t u r e r u n s t h e r i sk o f

c o u r t i n g a s e c u l a r i ty w h i c h w i ll u n d e r m i n e it .

Th e advantage o f secular b less ings

I c a n t h i n k o f n o b e t t e r w a y t o s p e a k o f t h e a d v a n t a g e s ( i n d e e d ,

n e c e s s i ty ) o f s e c u l a r b l e s si n g s t h a n b y c i t i n g a t e x t o f m y B e r k e l e y

c o l l ea g u e , J o h n R . D o n o h u e S d . , i n h is s tu d y ,

Th e gospel in parable

D o n o h u e is s p e a k in g a b o u t t h e r e a li sm o f J e s u s s p r e a c h i n g i n

p a r a b le s w h i c h w e r e d r a w n f r o m n a t u r e o r t he c o m m o n l i fe :

T h e r e a l i s m o f t he pa r a b l e s , w i t h i ts the o l og i c a l a nd C hr i s t o l og i c a l

i m p l i c a t ions , a f fe c ts t he w a y t he pa r a b l e s s hou l d be p r oc l a i m e d .

O f t e n , m uc h C h r i s t i a n p r o c l a m a t i on is ine f f ec t ive be c a us e i t spe a ks

a r e l i g i ous d i a l e c t w h i c h be c om e s un i n t e l l i g i b l e t o m a ny bo t h

o u t si d e a n d i n si d e th e c o m m u n i t y . T h e s e c u la r it y o f t h e p a r a b le s

r e m a i n s a c a u t i o n a g a i n s t p l ac i n g a n u n n a t u r a l d i v o r c e b e t w e e n

t h e S u n d a y m o r n i n g w o r l d o f r e li g io u s lif e a n d t h e w o r l d o f d a i ly

h u m a n e x c h a n g e . U l t i m a t e l y , n o t h i n g i s p u r e l y r e l i g i o u s o r p u r e l y

s e c u l a r. J e s us t ook up i n h i s pa r a b l e s t he da i l y e xpe r i e nc e s o f h i s

he a r e r s a nd l e t t he m s ee in t he s e the b e a r e r s o f G od s p r e s e nc e .

P r e a c h e r s n o t o n l y m u s t h e a r t h e w o r d s o f s c r ip t u r e b u t m u s t h e a r

t h e h e a r e r s o f t h e W o r d . P a r a d o x i c a l l y , t h e n , i n p r e s e n t i n g t h e

pa r a b l e s i t i s no t e nough s i m p l y t o r e s t a t e o r pa r a ph r a s e t he

p a r a b le s . T h e v i b r a n c y o f t h e o r ig i n a l i m a g e s m u s t b e r e c a p t u r e d

o f t e n i n l a ngua ge a s r e a l i s t i c a s t he o r i g i na l l a ngua ge . E ve n t he

o ld wine of t he pa rab l e s m us t sha t t e r new wine sk ins. 21

D 0 n o h u e h a s t e n s to a d d th a t s e c u la r i m a g e s d r a w n f r o m c o m m o n

li fe m u s t , n o n e t h e l e s s , a r r e s t th e h e a r e r b y t h e i r v i v i d n e s s o r

s t r a n g e n e s s - - d r a w n f r o m e v e r y d a y l i f e b u t p r e s e n t i n g a d is o r ie n -

t a t io n o f c o m m o n e v e r y d a y n e s s as w e ll . A C h u r c h s e c u re in i ts

i n n e r d i s c ip l i ne a n d d e e p c o m m i t m e n t to t r a n s c e n d e n c e c a n n o t

o n l y a f fo r d , s o c i o l o g i ca l ly , t o r is k s u c h s e c u l a r b le s s in g . T h e o l o g i -

c a l ly , i t is c o m m a n d e d b y J e s u s s d a r i n g p r o c l a m a t i o n o f t he

K i n g d o m o f G o d to d o s o. I f t he r e f e r e n c e t o G o d s t r a n s c e n d e n t

K i n g d o m i s c l e a r , n o b l e s s i n g b a s e d o n i t c a n b e t o o s e c u l a r .



T H E S E C U L A R : A S O C I O L O G I C A L V I E W

5

N O T E S

i C o l e m a n , J o h n A . : ' T h e s i t u a ti o n f o r m o d e r n f a i t h ', Theological studies 3 9 ( D e c e m b e r

1 9 7 8) , p p 6 0 1 - 6 3 2 . P o r t i o n s o f th i s te x t a r e a d a p t e d f r o m t h i s s t u d y .

2 F o r t h e m a n y - s i d e d d e b a t e o n t h e s e c u l a ri z a ti o n t h e si s i n s o c i ol o gy c f H a m m o n d , P h i li p

(ed) : The sacred in a secu lar age ( B e r k e le y : U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a P r e s s , 1 9 8 5) .

• 3 W i l s o n , B r y a n : ' S e c u la r i za t i o n : t h e i n h e r it e d m o d e l ' , i n H a m m o n d :

The sacred in a secu lar

age, pp 11 , 15 .

W i l s o n , B r y a n :

Rel igion in secular socie ty

( L o n d o n : W a t t s , 1 9 6 6 ) ; B e r g e r , P e t e r :

Sacred canopy

( G a r d e n C i t y , N e w Y o r k : D o u b l e d a y , 1 9 6 7 ); B e l l a h , R o b e r t : B e y o n d b e l i e f ( N e w Y o r k :

H a r p e r a n d R o w , 1 97 0 ); G r e el e y , A n d r e w : Unsecular man ( N e w Y o r k : S c h o c k e n , 1 9 72 );

L u c k m a n n , T h o m a s : The invisible re l igion ( N e w Y o r k : M a c M i l l a n , 1 9 68 ).

5 C f S t a rk , R o d n e y a n d B a i n b r i d g e , W i l l i a m : The fu tu re o f re l ig ion ( B e r k el e y : U n i v e r s i t y o f

C a l i f o r n i a P r e s s , 1 9 8 5 ) .

6 S m i t h , H u s t o n : ' S e c u l a r i z a t i o n a n d t h e s a c r e d ' , i n C u r l e r , D o n a l d ( e d) : The re l ig ious

situation ( B o s t o n : B e a c o n , 1 9 6 9 ) , p 5 8 3 .

7 S m i t h : ' S e c u l a r i z a t i o n ' , p 5 8 7 .

s F o r s e c u la r u s es o f s a c re d c h a r i s m a c f O ' D e a , T h o m a s : Th e soc io logy o f re l ig ion ( E n g l e w o o d

C l i f fs , N e w J e r s e y : P r e n t i c e - H a l l , 1 9 6 6 ) , p 90 tt .

9 S w a n s o n , G u y E . : ' M o d e r n s e c u l a r it y ', i n C u t l e r : The rel igious si tuat ion, p p 8 0 3 - 4 .

10 M o l , H a n s :

Ident i ty and the sacred

( N e w Y o r k : T h e F r e e P r e s s , 1 9 7 7 ) , p 1 2 6 .

n W u t h n o w , R o b e r t: ' S ci e nc e a n d t h e s a c re d ' , in H a m m o n d : The sacre d in a secu lar age ,

p 199 .

lz Bel lah :

Beyond bel ie f ,

p 4 2 .

13 B ella h:

Beyond be l i e f ,

p 4 0 .

14 Be Ua h: Beyond bel ie f , p 4 3 .

~5 F o r p i c k a n d c h o o s e a c c e p t a n c e o f b e li e fs a m o n g C a t h o l i c s c f G r e e l e y , A n d r e w e t a l .:

Ca thol schools i n a dec l in ing Church

( K a n s a s C i ty : S h e e d a n d M c A n d r e w s , 1 9 76 ). F o r t h e

s a m e p h e n o m e n o n a m o n g A m e r i c a n E v a n g e li c al s c f H u n t e r , J a m e s D a v i d so n :

Evangel ical ism:

the coming generat ion

( C h i c a g o : T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f C h i c a g o P r e s s , 1 9 88 ).

16 R o b e r t s o n , R o l a n d : ' T h e s a c r e d a n d t h e w o rl d s y s t e m ' , i n H a m m o n d : The sacred in a

secu lar ag e , p p 3 4 7 - 3 5 8 .

17 Be llah :

Beyond bel ie f ,

p 2 2 7 .

18 F o r t h e e v i d e n c e o f l i b er a l re l i g i o u s d e c l i n e c f R o o f , W a d e C l a r k a n d M c K i n n e y , W i l l ia m :

M a i n l i n e r e l i g i o n

( N e w B r u n s w i c k , N e w J e r s e y : R u t g e r s U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 98 6) .

19 c f K e l l e y , D e a n : W hy conserva ti ve Churches are gro win g ( N e w Y o r k : H a r p e r a n d R o w , 1 9 72 ),

a n d H o g e , D e a n a n d R o o z e n , D a v i d : Unders tanding Church gro wth a nd dec line ( P h i l a d e l p h i a :

P i l g r i m P r e s s , 1 9 7 9 ) .

20 M o l , H a n s : ' N e w p e r s p ec t iv e s fr o m c r o s s - c u lt u r al s t u d i e s ' , i n H a m m o n d : The sacred in a

secular age, p 9 3 .

2a D o n o h u e , J o h n R . , S . J .: The gospe l i n parable ( P h i l a d e l p h i a : F o r t r e s s P r e s s , i 9 8 8 ) ,

p p 1 4 - 1 5 .

Documents

Coleman-The Secular-A Sociological View (the Way, Vol. 30, Núm. 1, 1990)