The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World PoliticsPeter L. Berger Theorists of "secularization" have for two centuries been saying that religion must inevitably decline in the modern world. But today, much of the world is as religious as ever. This volume challenges the belief that the modern world is increasingly secular, showing instead that modernization more often strengthens religion. Seven leading cultural observers examine several regions and several religions and explain the resurgence of religion in world politics. Peter L. Berger opens with a global overview. The other six writers deal with particular aspects of the religious scene: George Weigel, with Roman Catholicism;David Martin, with the evangelical Protestant upsurge not only in the Western world but also in Latin America, Africa, the Pacific rim, China, and Eastern Europe; Jonathan Sacks, with Jews and politics in the modern world; Abdullahi A. An-Na'im, with political Islam in national politics and international relations; Grace Davie, with Europe as perhaps the exception to the desecularization thesis; and Tu Weiming, with religion in the People's Republic of China. |
Contents
The Desecularization of the World A Global Overview | 1 |
Roman Catholicism in the Age of John Paul II | 19 |
The Evangelical Upsurge and Its Political Implications | 37 |
Judaism and Politics in the Modern World | 51 |
Europe The Exception That Proves the Rule? | 65 |
The Quest for Meaning Religion in the Peoples Republic of China | 85 |
Political Islam in National Politics and International Relations | 103 |
Notes | 123 |
| 129 | |
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Africa American argued attitudes become beliefs Berger Buddhist Casanova Catholic Church cent China Chinese Christian civil clash of civilizations conflict contemporary countries culture David Martin defined democracy democratic Diaspora economic elite emerged ethical European Values Evangelical Evangelical upsurge EVSSG example faith free societies freedom future George Weigel gious global groups Hervieu-Léger Holy Hu Shi human rights Ibid ideology individual influence intellectual international relations Islam and politics Islamic Fundamentalism Islamic identity Islamic societies Israel Israeli Jewish Jewish community Jews John Paul John Paul II Jonathan Sacks Judaism Latin America ment modern world Muslim nation-state norms organizations outmarriage peaceful Pentecostal pluralism political Islam Pope population practice Press Protestant public moral questions Qur'an regime relationship reli religion religious movements role Roman Catholicism secularization secularization thesis Shari'a social Tibet Tibetan tion tional traditional truth ture twenty-first century understanding United University Vatican Western Europe