Previous literature on religion and sexual behavior has focused on narrow definitions of religiosity, including religious affiliation, religious participation, or forms of religiousness (e.g., intrinsic religiosity). Trends toward more permissive premarital sexual activity in the North American Christian-Judeo religion support the secularization hypothesis of religion, which posits an increasin...

This paper explores the timeliness and relevance of secularization theories in Europe. It seeks to understand how classical secularization—rationalization, societalization, functional differentiation, existential security—and their theoretical innovations—namely, cultural diversity—help describe religious phenomena a specific set European countries—Austria, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sp...

Carl Schmitt proposes a political theology founded on the paradigm of secularization. In an attempt to evade secularization, Strauss responds Schmitt’s approach in Philosophy and Law by subtly recovering Maimonidean prophet. By doing so, points prophet as theological–political figure who, ruler, survives secularization Enlightenment. Following trajectory laid out Strauss, this article explores ...

■ Abstract Although scholars tend to downplay the role of religion in political life, the vast majority of people in the world profess a strong allegiance to some spiritual faith. Secularization theory has long held that religion would become irrelevant, leading many comparative scholars to ignore this potentially significant variable. A recent resurgence in religious fundamentalism and “new re...

The notion that religion and modemity ate mutuaUy exclusive has been a leading theme oŸ the sociology of religion in France and has been amply confirmed by empirical studies of religious practice, clerical vocations, and parish culture. But recent work on popular religion, post-1968 ideological communities, and new religious movements has caUed the presumption of secularization into question. I...

The evolution of funeral practices from the Middle Ages through the Modern era in Europe is generally seen as a process of secularization. The study, through imaging and autopsy, of two mummies, five lead urns containing hearts, and more than six hundred skeletons of nobles and clergymen from a Renaissance convent in Brittany has led us to reject this view. In addition to exceptional embalming,...