the challenge of secularism - key words

secularism

the belief that religion should play no role in the running of the state, the affairs of government and in public life.

secularisation

the process of removing religion and other ideologies from all public institutions. It can also mean the breaking down of religion’s social and cultural significance over time.

ends

the belief that history has ‘ended’ with capitalism and liberal democracy as there is no better system that can follow it.

procedural secularism

the role of the state is to take into account the interests of all its citizens and their institutions. This means that it should not give priority or preference to religion but treat it equally along with other institutions.

programmatic secularism

the role of the state in a plural society is to be purely secular. All religious views or practices should be excluded from public institutions such as government, public events, schools and universities.

la laicite

the principle in French law (1905 Separation of Church and State) which separates the state and religions.

secularisation thesis

a term used by sociologists to describe the process of secularisation. It is defined as the growing number of people who claim to have no religious affiliation. It can also be defined as a situation where religion has lost its influence on society.

infantile

means childish but Freud uses the term to refer to the first year’s in a child’s development in which the ego (self) is formed.

neuroses

mental disorders such as a severe anxiety attack and irrational fears.

psychoanalysis

a system of analysis which claims that the formation and development of the unconscious and conscious is particularly significant in infancy and childhood.

oedipus complex

* the last stage in an infant’s psychological development where the child’s ego learns emotional independence and at the same time obedience to its parents.
* the Oedipus Complex results from an innital conflict where each child sexually desires to possess the parent of the opposite sex but learns that this is not possible.

wish fulfilment

the process by which unconscious desires are projected into conscious experience such as dreams, daydreams and hallucinations.

obsessional

a persistent idea, feeling or desire.

it may also refer to compulsive repetitive behaviour.

indoctrination

a process of passing on beliefs from one generation to the next.

humanism

the belief that humans can live good and noble lives without the need for religion.

theocracy

theocracy is the belief that activities of state and government should be religious principles or that governance should be carried out by religious officials.

dominionists

group of protestant, evangelical, conservative Christians who think America should be ruled according to Biblical laws because God gave humans dominion over the world in Genesis.

deconstructionists

calvinists Christians who justify a theocracy by pointing to the example of Moses as a ruler in the Old Testament.

distinctive

something that makes something different to other things that are similar.