The Secularization Paradigm Analysis

In The Secularization Paradigm, Steve Bruce explains secularism in the West and how multiple factors lead to the coming of secularization. Bruce defines secularism as the depletion of the role of religion in society, rather than the classical view of the separation of church and state. In addition, Bruce focuses on secularism as a process, slowly developing over time, due to multiple extraneous and intrinsic factors. Furthermore, he builds a physical paradigm detailing the reasons behind secularizations such as social and structural differentiation, individualism, and rationality. Therefore, in an attempt to understand Bruce’s argument, this response will analyze the prominence of the protestant reformation in order to prove how it was a main factor in secularization. It will do so by understanding how other factors such as rationality, …show more content…
That is simply due to multiple countries not having a religious reformation at all. Other factors play an important role in secularization. An example is cultural diversity played. The psychological implications of diversity lead one to question their religious identities, due to said identities being not equally accepted by others. Having a diverse population with different religions creates doubt between individuals, which in turn causes them to distance themselves from the topic of religion. A diverse population would have allowed a more secular government to exist and prosper. With globalization, a sharp increase in diversity is evident, revealing how countries in regions such as the Middle East move towards secularism to accommodate the increasing diversity in their communities. Even though the Middle East has not experienced a reformation, diversity lead to a shift towards secularization. Therefore, though secular states are more prominent in the West (due to the reformation), secularization can occur without a religious