Berger: Modernity and Secularization

Who is berger?

famous sociologist of religion who believed secularization is what was going on. & that the more modern you got, the less religious

What happened to beregr? Why?

• he changed his mind

• he started traveling the world and saw that religion was not just hanging on, and rather, it was vibrant & strong

What are the two things he saw?

• rise in enthusiasm for some religions

• rise in spiritualism, even in the non-organized religion counter-culture

Describe the rise in enthusiasm for some religions that he saw

1. Ex: Islam, Pentacostals, spiritualism 

   1. (for islam) which according to some governments are becoming more theocratic (aka religion based – not christiisianity, but the idea that religion infuses society)

      1. Which we are seeing in parts of the middle east (i.e. islam predominatnyl). 

   2. Evangelical protestants in the US have strong religious views & a very emotional attatchment to their religion

   3. Pentacostals → there are about 600 mill. Around the world and they are only growing & becoming more strong

describe the rise of spiritualism even in the non-organized counter-culture

Ex: woo-woo

• idea that the universe gives you serendipity. That magical things happen to you bc you believe in them. That the universe hears you cry for change/help and then delivers thing to you.  

• Berger is saying that if you believe in woo-woo you are not a part of secularization, you are moving away from rationalism and moving into religion in some way

What does Berger argue abt many sociologists?

• they got too caught up in the story of europe where secularization seemed to be rly strong and profound

what is the story of europe?

• the story of europe is that there are many beautiful & large atchedrals there, but hardly anyone actually goes (mainly tourists), so other than that, they are typically empty. they re not filled with fervalent believes.

Is there a lot of secularization in europe? bc of this, what happens?

Yes. and bc of this, a lot of intellectuals, educated people in europe, are promoting the secularized way of looking at the world

but what does berger have to say about this…

1.  if you get out of europe, you are going to change your mind. And that organized religion or even woo-woo stuff is alive and well. 

   1. So he is part of the movement to war against the secularization paradigm.

Define “paradigm”

• it is the beautiful, fundamental way of looking at the world

What would Berger say about this paradigm? & explain what this means

• that we had the secularization paradigm, where we interpreted everything in the world as part of this trend

• so whenever we saw religious activity, we assumed it was the last grasp at it

  • so, even when there was a rise in religion, it was only like a body that was dying (where it would end up dying)

what does berger say would happen if we got rid of the secularization paradigm

these revivals of religion would take on a different kind of significance & that this religious activity is something that we should study & it is counter-evidence to the secularization paradigm —> evidence that sociologists got it WONG

What is this beyond either/or thing he wants us to see

• that secular and religion CAN co-exist and they do so all of the time

under beyond/either or —> about the public realm. is it secular or religious? explain

secular!

• we take for granted how SO much of public life is going to be secular

• you turn on the news —> reported in secular way

• after a storm we dont see “God was mad at us” and that religious leaders are trying to see what pissed Him off.

Does the public realm being secular mean you can’t be religious?

No! It doesnt mean you cant leave certain secular settings and pray (do religious stuff)

ex: we dont pray in class, but we can after we walk out

they can CO EXIST

what do many social scientists think abt being religious?

that you have to be a monk or nun —> aka someone who is ENTIRELY devotes their life to a religion

ex: amish ppl in how they reject modern stuff that engineers/scientists make

• horses over cars

Are most people mega religious? Does this change anything?

No. but even if they are, some super religious ppl EXCEL in the world. they are not religious externally, but are in their private lives. so he argues for pluralization over secularization

define pluralization?

the historical unprecedented situation in which more and more people live amid competing beliefs, values, and lifestyles.

• this can profoundly affect religion

Key takeaway of pluralization?

• there is no master trend of secularization

• ppl live in a secular modern society, but also religious

• there are pockets of religiosity that are thriving (some even grow) — even in societies that are officialy secular. there is no real trend for secularization