Sociology
The study of social structures reveals the foundational role of religion in human societies—and the failure of secularization predictions.
The Failure of Secularization
The prediction that modernity would eliminate religion has not been confirmed. The secularization thesis, once sociological orthodoxy, is now widely questioned.
Peter Berger, once a leading secularization theorist, recanted: 'The world today is as furiously religious as it ever was.' Secularization is a Western European exception, not a universal pattern.
- Global Religiosity: Religion remains vibrant worldwide—84% of the world's population identifies with a religious group. Secularization is a Western European exception.
- Religious Resurgence: Many regions show increasing religiosity, not decline. Pentecostalism grows rapidly in the Global South. Islam expands. Even Europe shows signs of religious revival.
- Spiritual Seeking: Even in secular societies, spiritual seeking persists in new forms. 'Spiritual but not religious' reflects continued hunger for transcendence.
- Demographic Trends: Religious populations have higher fertility rates. The future belongs to the religious. Secular populations are literally dying out.
Social Capital and Flourishing
Religious communities generate social benefits that secular alternatives struggle to replicate. Robert Putnam's research shows religious congregations are 'supercharged' producers of social capital.
If religion were merely false, why would it produce such consistent benefits? Perhaps religious communities flourish because they are oriented toward truth and the good.
- Community: Religious congregations provide belonging, support, and social networks. Weekly gathering creates bonds that online communities cannot replicate.
- Civic Engagement: Religious people volunteer more, give more, and participate more in civic life. Faith motivates service. 'Love your neighbor' has social consequences.
- Family Stability: Religious practice correlates with stronger marriages and family bonds. Shared faith provides common purpose and moral framework for family life.
- Generational Transmission: Religious communities successfully transmit values across generations. Secular ideologies struggle to reproduce themselves.