anticlerical

Anticlerical refers to opposition to the political power, influence, and privileges of religious authorities and clergy in public life. It is often associated with secularism, liberalism, republicanism, and freethought, but does not necessarily imply atheism or hostility to personal religious belief. Anticlerical movements aim to limit church involvement in government, education, and civil affairs, and to promote church–state separation, freedom of conscience, and civil rights.

Historically, anticlericalism has played a significant role in modernization processes across various regions. In France, anticlerical sentiment contributed to reforms and culminated in the 1905 law on the separation of church and state. In Spain, anticlerical currents were influential during the late 19th and early 20th centuries and intersected with conflicts involving the Catholic Church. In Mexico, anticlerical reforms during the Reform era and the 1917 constitution reduced church privileges and nationalized church property, sparking the Cristero War. In Italy, anticlericalism accompanied the unification process and led to confiscations of church assets and a gradual reduction of papal temporal power, continuing into later reforms.

In contemporary usage, anticlerical is often treated as a subset of secularism or secularization, emphasizing the separation of religious institutions from state affairs. Critics may characterize anticlerical rhetoric as anti-religious, while proponents argue that it seeks equal citizenship and freedom from religious coercion in public life.