secularized

Secularized is the past participle and adjective derived from secularize, meaning made secular or the process of becoming secular. In everyday usage it can describe a society, institution, or practice that has been stripped of formal religious authority or influence. In sociology and comparative history, secularization refers to a broader transformation in which religion loses social power, prestige, and public legitimacy, and religious institutions become less central to politics, education, or law. Etymology: from Latin saeculum meaning era of the world, with secular meaning worldly as opposed to sacred, later reinforced by the verb secularize.

The term encompasses several dimensions. Institutional secularization denotes changes such as the separation of church and state, secular public education, and civil law that operates independently of religious law. Cultural secularization refers to shifts in beliefs, practices, and values toward nonreligious or pluralistic worldviews. Political secularization describes the reduction of religious influence on policy decisions and governance.

Historically, secularization is associated with the European Enlightenment, the liberalization of state institutions, and the rise of modern nation-states. It has occurred unevenly; some regions show deep institutionalization of secular norms, while others maintain strong religious influences in public life. In the United States, for example, religion is constitutionally embedded, but religion continues to shape social and political life. In other regions, secularization has been partial or accompanied by religious revival.

Debates center on whether secularization is ongoing or has halted, and how to measure it across domains. Critics argue that religion persists in private life and reasserts influence in new forms. Related topics include secularism, laicism, secular state, and the secularization of education and law.