The historical process by which religious institutions, practices, and worldviews lose their social significance and authority in public life. It involves the transfer of authority from religious to secular institutions and the privatization of faith.
From Latin 'saecularis' meaning 'of the world' or 'temporal,' the term originally distinguished worldly clergy from monastic orders. The modern sociological concept developed in the 19th century to describe the declining influence of religion in industrial societies.
The secularization thesis predicted religion would disappear entirely in modern societies, but instead we've seen religion transform and adapt in unexpected ways—from televangelism to online spiritual communities! Max Weber famously called this process the 'disenchantment of the world,' where scientific explanations replaced magical thinking, yet many scholars now argue we're seeing a 're-enchantment' through New Age spirituality and alternative religions.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.