säkularisierung

Säkularisering, or secularization, is the process by which religion loses social and political influence in a society. It involves the differentiation of religious institutions from other spheres such as education and government, the decline of religious authority in public life, and the privatization of belief.

Historically associated with modernization and the Enlightenment, secularization acquired prominence in sociology in the 19th and 20th centuries. The idea that religious institutions would steadily lose influence in modern, industrial societies became a central hypothesis of the "secularization thesis."

The dominant theoretical perspectives have varied. Classic theorists like Max Weber and Émile Durkheim linked secularization to rationalization and the differentiation of social functions. In the late 20th century Peter Berger argued that religion persisted but moved into a privatized, pluralistic public sphere; since the 1990s, debates about "post-secular" conditions have emerged.

Indicators of secularization include declines in church attendance and membership, lower belief in the public relevance of religion, secular laws and public institutions without church control, and the withdrawal of religious authorities from education and politics.

Regional patterns differ. Western Europe and parts of North America show strong secularization in institutions, though religiosity often remains private or culturally embedded. In many parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, religion continues to play a significant public role, though modernization also creates new secular forms and tensions.

Contemporary discussions emphasize soft secularization (privatization and cultural secularism), diversification of religion, and "re-enchantment" movements. The secularization thesis is contested, with arguments that religious change rather than simple decline characterizes modern societies.

See also: Secularism, Secular state, Religion and politics.