Rethinking the Relationship between the Secular and the Religious. Analysis of Two Blindspots Linked to Secularization Theory

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze two turmoils or blindspots linked to secularization theory, fundamentally with respect to the relations between secular and religious spheres. For that purpose, we depart from the analysis of José Casanova entitled Genealogies of Secularization, in which studies the three sub-theses that conform this theory: differentiation of secular and religious spheres, widespread decline of belief and religious practice and religious privatization. The first of this blindspots arise from tackling secularization from the perspective of the first sub-theses and it takes form of euro-centrism or Christian-centrism. From this perspective, Christian-european particularity becomes the main pattern of secularization; the second one is focused on the second sub-theses (in a small extent, also in the third) and arise from one absolute identification between the religious and religion. In this light, secularization theory cut down religious phenomena to religion. This implies to leave out an important amount of religious forms and practices that don´t get (or do not want to achieve) be systematized (as religion requires).