Sociology of Religion Advance Access originally published online on May 29, 2009
Sociology of Religion 2009 70(2):157-178; doi:10.1093/socrel/srp029
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Secularization Patterns in the Old Paradigm*
Center for Critical Research on Religion
E-mail: goldstein{at}criticaltheoryofreligion.org
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Abstract |
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R. Stephen Warner argues that the master narrative in the old paradigm of sociology of religion is "linear secularization" while in the new paradigm it is "revival and routinization." This article reexamines the old paradigm to see whether Warner's characterization of it is true. Not only do most of the theories of secularization in the old paradigm not follow a straight line but there is broad agreement among its members that secularization is not a linear process. One can find three other patterns in the old paradigm: the cyclical/spiral, the dialectical, and the paradoxical. This paper argues that a dialectical understanding of the process of secularization, which is contained in the old paradigm, alleviates the criticism wrongly made of it by Warner. A dialectical understanding helps make sense of how secularization and sacralization can occur at the same time.
Keywords: secularization, old paradigm, new paradigm, critical theory, linear, dialectic
* Direct correspondence to Warren S. Goldstein, Visiting Fellow, Committee on the Study of Religion, Harvard University, Barker Center, 12 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. The author wishes to thank Lesley Kenny who copyedited this article.