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
The dominant theoretical perspectives have varied. Classic theorists like Max Weber and Émile Durkheim linked secularization
Indicators of secularization include declines in church attendance and membership, lower belief in the public relevance
Regional patterns differ. Western Europe and parts of North America show strong secularization in institutions, though
Contemporary discussions emphasize soft secularization (privatization and cultural secularism), diversification of religion, and "re-enchantment" movements. The