Changes

Stark wrote in his book ''Acts of Faith'':

Stark wrote in his book ''Acts of Faith'':

{{cquote|For nearly three centuries social scientists and assorted Western intellectuals have been promising the end of religion. Each generation has been confident that within another few decades, or possibly a bit longer, humans will 'outgrow' belief in the supernatural. This proposition soon came to be known as the secularization thesis.<ref>[http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>}}

{{cquote|For nearly three centuries social scientists and assorted Western intellectuals have been promising the end of religion. Each generation has been confident that within another few decades, or possibly a bit longer, humans will 'outgrow' belief in the supernatural. This proposition soon came to be known as the secularization thesis.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>}}

A 2003 paper published by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at [[Harvard University]] entitled ''The [[Secularization]] Debate'' indicates:

A 2003 paper published by the John F. Kennedy School of Government at [[Harvard University]] entitled ''The [[Secularization]] Debate'' indicates:

Toby Lester wrote in ''The Atlantic'':

Toby Lester wrote in ''The Atlantic'':

{{cquote|In 1851 the French historian and philosopher Ernest Renan announced to the world that Islam was "the last religious creation of humanity." He was more than a bit premature. At about the time he was writing, the Bahai faith, [[Christian Science]], Mormonism, the Seventh-Day Adventists, and a major Japanese religious movement known as Tenrikyo were all just coming to life. [[Falun Gong]] and [[Pentecostalism]]—both of which now have millions and millions of members—had yet to emerge. Whoops.<ref>[http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>}}

{{cquote|In 1851 the French historian and philosopher Ernest Renan announced to the world that Islam was "the last religious creation of humanity." He was more than a bit premature. At about the time he was writing, the Bahai faith, [[Christian Science]], Mormonism, the Seventh-Day Adventists, and a major Japanese religious movement known as Tenrikyo were all just coming to life. [[Falun Gong]] and [[Pentecostalism]]—both of which now have millions and millions of members—had yet to emerge. Whoops.<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>}}

=== Peter Berger's abandonment of the secular thesis ===

=== Peter Berger's abandonment of the secular thesis ===

In 1968, the American [[sociology|sociologist]] and author [[Peter L. Berger]]  told the ''[[New York Times]]'' that by "the 21st century, religious believers are likely to be found only in small sects, huddled together to resist a worldwide secular culture."<ref>[http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>

In 1968, the American [[sociology|sociologist]] and author [[Peter L. Berger]]  told the ''[[New York Times]]'' that by "the 21st century, religious believers are likely to be found only in small sects, huddled together to resist a worldwide secular culture."<ref>[https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2002/02/oh-gods/302412/ Oh, Gods!] by Toby Lester, ''The Atlantic''</ref>

Berger introduced the concept of [[desecularization]] in 1999.<ref>[http://intl-jcs.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/2/232.full#fn-2 ''Journal of Church and State'', Desecularization: A Conceptual Framework by Vyacheslav Karpov, 2010]</ref><ref>Peter L. Berger, “The Desecularization of the World: A Global Overview,” in The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics, ed. Peter L. Berger (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999)</ref>  According to Berger, "One can say with some confidence that modern Pentecostalism must be the fastest growing religion in human history."<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2010/07/29/pentecostalism-protestant-ethic-or-cargo-cult/ Pentecostalism – Protestant Ethic or Cargo Cult?], Peter Berger, July 29, 2010</ref>

Berger introduced the concept of [[desecularization]] in 1999.<ref>[http://intl-jcs.oxfordjournals.org/content/52/2/232.full#fn-2 ''Journal of Church and State'', Desecularization: A Conceptual Framework by Vyacheslav Karpov, 2010]</ref><ref>Peter L. Berger, “The Desecularization of the World: A Global Overview,” in The Desecularization of the World: Resurgent Religion and World Politics, ed. Peter L. Berger (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999)</ref>  According to Berger, "One can say with some confidence that modern Pentecostalism must be the fastest growing religion in human history."<ref>[http://www.the-american-interest.com/2010/07/29/pentecostalism-protestant-ethic-or-cargo-cult/ Pentecostalism – Protestant Ethic or Cargo Cult?], Peter Berger, July 29, 2010</ref>

The [[Desecularization|resurgence of religion]] is a worldwide development. Russian Orthodoxy is stronger than it has been for over a century, while China is the scene of a reawakening of its indigenous faiths and of underground movements that could [[Growth of Christianity in China|make it the largest Christian country]] in the world by the end of this century. Despite tentative shifts in opinion that have been hailed as evidence it is becoming less pious, the US remains massively and [[American atheism#American atheist activists exaggerating the number of atheists in the United States|pervasively religious]] – it’s inconceivable that a professed unbeliever could become president, for example. It’s inconceivable that a professed unbeliever could become president of the United States

The [[Desecularization|resurgence of religion]] is a worldwide development. Russian Orthodoxy is stronger than it has been for over a century, while China is the scene of a reawakening of its indigenous faiths and of underground movements that could [[Growth of Christianity in China|make it the largest Christian country]] in the world by the end of this century. Despite tentative shifts in opinion that have been hailed as evidence it is becoming less pious, the US remains massively and [[American atheism#American atheist activists exaggerating the number of atheists in the United States|pervasively religious]] – it’s inconceivable that a professed unbeliever could become president, for example. It’s inconceivable that a professed unbeliever could become president of the United States

For secular thinkers, the continuing vitality of religion calls into question the belief that history underpins their values. To be sure, there is disagreement as to the nature of these values. But pretty well all secular thinkers now take for granted that modern societies must in the end converge on some version of liberalism. Never well founded, this assumption is today clearly unreasonable.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/03/what-scares-the-new-atheists What scares the new atheists] by [[John Gray (philosopher)|John Gray]], ''The Guardian''</ref>}}

For secular thinkers, the continuing vitality of religion calls into question the belief that history underpins their values. To be sure, there is disagreement as to the nature of these values. But pretty well all secular thinkers now take for granted that modern societies must in the end converge on some version of liberalism. Never well founded, this assumption is today clearly unreasonable.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/03/what-scares-the-new-atheists What scares the new atheists] by [[John Gray (philosopher)|John Gray]], ''The Guardian''</ref>}}

== See also ==

== See also ==