Changes

sustained challenge in its long history. Critics point to multiple indicators of religious health and vitality today, ranging from the continued popularity of churchgoing in the United States to the emergence of New Age spirituality in Western Europe, the growth in fundamentalist movements and religious parties in the Muslim world, the evangelical revival sweeping through Latin America, and the upsurge of ethno-religious conflict in international affairs3. After reviewing these developments, [[Peter L. Berger]], one of the foremost advocates of secularization during the 1960s, recanted his earlier claims: “The world today, with some exceptions…is as furiously religious as it ever was, and in some places more so than ever. This means that a whole body of literature by historians and social scientists loosely labeled ‘secularization theory’ is essentially mistaken.” In a fierce and sustained critique, Rodney Stark and Roger Finke suggest it is time to bury the secularization thesis: “After nearly three centuries of utterly failed prophesies and misrepresentations of both present and past, it seems time to carry the secularization doctrine to the graveyard of failed theories, and there to whisper ‘requiescat in pace.’”<ref>[http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/Sacred_and_Secular/Chapter%201.pdf ''The Secularization Debate'']</ref>}}

sustained challenge in its long history. Critics point to multiple indicators of religious health and vitality today, ranging from the continued popularity of churchgoing in the United States to the emergence of New Age spirituality in Western Europe, the growth in fundamentalist movements and religious parties in the Muslim world, the evangelical revival sweeping through Latin America, and the upsurge of ethno-religious conflict in international affairs3. After reviewing these developments, [[Peter L. Berger]], one of the foremost advocates of secularization during the 1960s, recanted his earlier claims: “The world today, with some exceptions…is as furiously religious as it ever was, and in some places more so than ever. This means that a whole body of literature by historians and social scientists loosely labeled ‘secularization theory’ is essentially mistaken.” In a fierce and sustained critique, Rodney Stark and Roger Finke suggest it is time to bury the secularization thesis: “After nearly three centuries of utterly failed prophesies and misrepresentations of both present and past, it seems time to carry the secularization doctrine to the graveyard of failed theories, and there to whisper ‘requiescat in pace.’”<ref>[http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/Sacred_and_Secular/Chapter%201.pdf ''The Secularization Debate'']</ref>}}

Harvard University's Samuel Huntington observed: "The late 20th century has seen the global resurgence of religions around the world" (''The Clash of Civilizations'', p. 64).<ref>[http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2005/november-december/the-return-of-religion The Return of Religion]</ref>

Harvard University's Samuel Huntington observed: "The late 20th century has seen the global resurgence of religions around the world" (''The Clash of Civilizations'', p.&nbsp;64).<ref>[http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/magazines/2005/november-december/the-return-of-religion The Return of Religion]</ref>

[[Alister McGrath]] points out that many [[Atheism|atheists]]/[[agnosticism|agnostics]] were angry that the secularization thesis failed because religion was "supposed to" disappear. <ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=creNs9-Ui6A 'Why God Won't Go Away'] by Alister McGrath</ref> Peter Berger said that the religiosity of the United States was a big exception to the secularization theory that should have caused social scientists to question the theory.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHlDyR102G8 Professor Peter Berger on Resurgence of Religion and Decline of Secularization Theory]</ref>  See also: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]

[[Alister McGrath]] points out that many [[Atheism|atheists]]/[[agnosticism|agnostics]] were angry that the secularization thesis failed because religion was "supposed to" disappear.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=creNs9-Ui6A 'Why God Won't Go Away'] by Alister McGrath</ref> Peter Berger said that the religiosity of the United States was a big exception to the secularization theory that should have caused social scientists to question the theory.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHlDyR102G8 Professor Peter Berger on Resurgence of Religion and Decline of Secularization Theory]</ref>  See also: [[Atheists and the endurance of religion]]

== Failed assumptions and the shock of secular social scientists to a failed theory ==

== Failed assumptions and the shock of secular social scientists to a failed theory ==

{{cquote|People want to know why the universe exists, not that it exists for no reason, and they don't want their lives to be pointless. Only religion provides credible and satisfactory answers to the great existential questions. The most ardent wishes of the secularization faithful will never change that.

{{cquote|People want to know why the universe exists, not that it exists for no reason, and they don't want their lives to be pointless. Only religion provides credible and satisfactory answers to the great existential questions. The most ardent wishes of the secularization faithful will never change that.

"Secularists have been predicting the imminent demise of religion for centuries. They have always been wrong—and their claims today are no different. It is their unshakable faith in secularization that may be the most "irrational" of all beliefs." (p. 212).<ref>http://www.christianpost.com/news/world-more-religious-than-ever-rodney-starks-triumph-faith-secularism-atheism-154641/ Despite What You've Heard, World Is More Religious Than Ever], Christian Post</ref>}}

"Secularists have been predicting the imminent demise of religion for centuries. They have always been wrong—and their claims today are no different. It is their unshakable faith in secularization that may be the most "irrational" of all beliefs." (p. 212).<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/world-more-religious-than-ever-rodney-starks-triumph-faith-secularism-atheism-154641/ Despite What You've Heard, World Is More Religious Than Ever], Christian Post</ref>}}

== Atheist philosopher John Gray on what scares the New Atheists ==

== Atheist philosopher John Gray on what scares the New Atheists ==

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[[Category: Atheism]]

[[Category:Atheism]]

[[Category: Sociology]]

[[Category:Sociology]]