Post on 06-Jul-2018
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
1/8
T-¡'toL,
h¡tl¿s
)o
4
fut
" ' l
o
I
,",.t
T
1' l
L ./- The
Ageof Mobilizarion
l
Letl Í/ to scewhere
we havegot to in this storJ'of
the r¡e of moden
rcula¡itl i¡
rhevsi. The end ofrhe eighleenth
entury aw he emergence
fa viable
her-
native o Chds¡i¡nit¡
n exdusive umanism;
t Jso sawa númberof
¡eacrió¡s
asains his,and hc undestrndins
f huúan life
whichp¡oduced . This
¡c
¡he
beginning fwhat
i'n calling henovaelTect,
hesreadil)wide¡n4 g¿müt
fnerv
posirions+one bclleving, ome
unbeli*ing, sone hard o clrssi&-which
ha'e
become vailableptions
or us.But all his shapper
rganons socl¡léli¡es,
ome-
dmeFwhen ir ónes to thed*dopmet ofnw fi rns ofunbelief-only among
rhe ntelligensi..And rhis
proce$oféLiteplur¿lizüion onrinus
thoughout .he
ni¡clee¡drcenrury,
t diffe¡ertpaces, nd
with
diff¿renrry
pacedntetruP(ions
n
diffe¡enr o.ieiies.t is hisprocesshat
harebeen ollowing, .leasr
¡ some fits
{pec¡s, n lhe
p¡ecedinghapre6.
Bur somehow,n rhc nreNering wo
cnturis, úe pcdicamenr irhe
üen up
persuta hasbeconeúat
ofwhol€ sóciedes. ot o¡ry
has
he
pále¡te f options
(r€lisious
nd aieLigious)idened, ut
theverl Locus fthe iellgious, r
dr€
spi¡i-
¡uai. nr social ife hasshifted. How did this cone ¿bou¡?
Herewe entero¡to the erein oF"secularization
heorl. This hasbeen
mainll
corcerne,l
ith explaining ariousacesofseculuiry
t
(rhe
ereat of religion n
public ife)and2 (thedecl;nen beliefmd pra.tice), otobviousli hefessoins o
be a oi ofonrlap beNcn rhcsend secul¡rity
(rhe.hange
n the condi¡ions f
beliei).In
pa¡ticular,he elation f üis latter irh sccul¿rity
is
bou¡¿to
b€clore.
Thn n nott¡ccausere
wo
chnses
are dentical, revenbound o go
og€tler. ur
rheclanse ú interescdn here,
3),
¡r'olrcsmongother thinss he¿risi¡gor
a
hurnanist Lte¡narive.his sa precondnion
or
(2)
he ise f actu¿] belle[ *hich
in tu¡¡ o¡en conúibulcso
(2)
he decline
f pffdce. Nothi¡s natles hesc onse'
quencesnelucrable,rut ¡hcycannot appen
t all uniess r€o.islnalplúializ.tion
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
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1: 4
So n or¡.¡
to u¡dúsand
how whar
werc
¿kernatircs
o¡ üe few
became
o or
rh. naD): t
will behclptul
o e¿n
n rdr¡t
is k¡own
at¡ourhe
dectjne r t¡ck
of
¿e.line
fbeliet Thc
story ere
6 incredibty
omptjakd,
$,úh
vide ári¡rions
e,
ñvecr
diff€rnr
counri€s, egions,
l¡$es,nitieux,
€tc.And
rs i¡ ¡hc
p¡ec€dn,g
.h¡p¡ex,
mf
discusior
he.enill rnatnl¡
ocus
n mnc
ptrdd ofrhe
prcce$,
¡
so¡r sócic¡ies
mrinlr
Brit¡in,
r¡nce ¡¡d
somerimes
h€ U.S.A.,
with
occ¿sio¡¿l
sidc
gl¿nceslscwhe¡e).
oneedl€s o
a),,
m), ena¡k
lere wjlt
be er*p¡oy¡ional.
Bu¡ veDturc
o hope
fiaths/.rr
¡eve¡ttele$
e helpfut,
har onre
€¡errl incs
of.hanqcc¡n bemad. isible, r ear nr hc counrriesriintl, discusse¿.¡d rh.t in
¡hk way
h€vnrr
mahe sm¿ll
onr¡ibu¡ion
rhe
geneGl lorv
ofsecut¡ri¿ario¡
\oir se
mish¡
bc ¡enpred
o think rhar
hespiirual
condidon
f ¡heélüe
becúe
¡harof rhc
ñ¿ss€sÍgel),
through
diffusion.
hls ras
aidcdby ihe
cxpansio¡
r-
rand¡¡(t
educarion,
hesp¡e¿d
l ln€Fcy,
a¡d rhe^
ofhishe¡ level¡
fsctoolins,
¿ndmore ecenrlr
h¡ough
e
srea¡
roúh in
u¡ive¡sjq, ainins.
The
élitc ondi_
¡ion
olienbecamc
enenlized
oo,b¡ the
act hatmodcrn
o.ieq,
nducs
weryone
inro ¡he
s¡ñ€ mode
of life, e¡ds
ro wip€
our the dis¡nrcrio¡
e¡reen
own
a¡d
.ou¡¡q', and
,t.ulcatesn
Ne¡,one
hesme social
magin¿ry,
cl¡dng o
rhcsoct€q,
as whol€,
faricuh¡lv
wirh ¡he
pcnet¡arion
crlvhere
of electu¡ic
media.
Nowrll rhes€ ar€ l.ved d iml]orrant¡ole, arricuta¡lyecent\,. ur hea.tu,l
rold
fion rhere o
he¡e s been
üch tnore
uhp¡ a¡d
irdirect han
asimple
if
fúsion
ory
ca¡ caprurc. o
tresi¡ wirh,
n a number
fcounries,
elisious
r¿c
iice msc
h ¡heninerccnth
ndsoñc¡ihes,lso
drcFentieth
ccntu¡r
Some eople
c¡l.ulare hat thc
¿Foseefcrholic
pnctice
¡ rr$ce
comesound
1870, frer
¡hec¡¡is ofrhc
Revolurion
ith irs "dech¡isrianiatio¡"
hpaigns,
con$itutio¡al
church,
¡d orh€¡ u.h
raum$.j
'l'h€¡edier
lhcre s ¿edine,
hi.h becomes
¡*p in úe
1960s.isures
or adher-
e¡cc
¡o chu¡chesnc
i¡ Ensland
u¡ins ¡he ineteendr
enrury,
eaching
peak
round he
bc€inni¡sof
rheNenrierh
c¡ rn befo¡e
low
decline
es n, which
becomer
s¡er af¡ei
heSecond ¡old
Ytu,
d qunepre.ipirare
tie¡ he 1960s.,
As o¡ rheU.S.A
some ].ul¿rc
¿ ead), ne
n ¡etisious dhcence
¡om
hcRevo,
lurion
jgltr h¡o%h o
rhe1960s, rrh
on\,a ¡el¿tivelynall dechrc ince.r'fhs,
of.oüre,
should¡i surp¡ise
s.Veshould
plt nhtheconBt
ofthe
drive
to Refo¡m,lvhich
rsuably
¡derlics hewhole
movehenr
f whi.h
.,secutarization,
is.n
ofshoor.All earlier
tror¡s r emaking
hechürch
imedar nc¡e$ing
ev€ls
f
orthodox racrice:
he di
grear r;ve flrench
Catholicisn, revióüs
o the
nine
reenrh-.erru¡y
ffo¡r,
&s rhe Counrer-Rcfo¡natio¡
f
the swenteenrh
entury,
*hich
súcceededn reachins
eople
who had prwiousl),
eenma¡ginal
.acritio-
MOBILIZATTON
12 5
(
. Jn¿ , , 'e8r" , , , ,s
.cm.
lr
.,
, .e .r
.r s oe runginBnr
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
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4)A
A SECUIAR
AG E
b
¡heslo¡vofcod,
givhg
nuch
ofthe proceeds
o chariry,
rc.
SinilaL\,,
modeú
docrofwill
not
usuauysend
erpatien¡
u
roucha relic,
ur
he¡vocatio¡
o
nedi,
.xre
hay
be ¿eelly
grourded
¡
her anh.
Obvious
robtems
elatins
ifi¡renria
tion ro
secuiarity
follow5
'I
l ie
' ,u le
ir
rh.\
"
f l .^ " invót\ ingr1eooc,o,
.ro,d"rr :h
r .utJr /¿r ion
w,,h
d,.cn
5J,. tnen' .
,,
.
{ .L l " . ia
ó¡,
n oL.. .q t , /¿ . io , ,
. ,upp"_d
oin.
dude
some
in¿ofdeclin€
rrecssio¡
ofChrisrian a¡d/orJs¡h)fai¡h,
thn de¡_, i f ¡ ¡b1 an¡d
_. lú¿-
A. ebc..
C.r .1,
r . Be-grr
,d
n". ¡ orhe,.
¡ ,e
.pe", .
edly ,J ' "¿ .
borh
rd¿i
¡
rnd
,
i . . r r in
t-" \e h.ñ.et- .
a-J iRernr
. :mc.
in{e,cJ
r .ou.
i rJ,
ot
drer.hantmen¡.
José
a.¡ovahs
peauasivety
rsued
gáinst
he denrificarion
f difteenti¡rion
¿nd privaúdion.
A
sepahtior
our
and emanciparion
fseculd
sphe¡s. ike
h€
r1¡e, rhc
econonn
andscience,
a
undoubredty
ccurred.
ui r
doesnt olow
ar
-hJr
' l 'e
p
üe
,
o l .e.u 'e i¿
io l wor,d
o, 1g n
r
(
$ee
,h"
p i jq , i /J, ion
nd .
'orerdded
rqe .B,r¿Ji ¡ t .on
n.rc, ,g ior
n r \emoJcrnwo
d.
Or rhe.o_
ar¡ .
chims
Casúda,
oda), we
arewitnessi¡g
rhe
dep¡ivatizidon,
of ¡eiision.
. . .
Reli
Ei
r'
rd i ton.
a,oughoJr,hr
wo,,d
c,eru.rnt,ñ.c.ep,
hcmrrg,n¿l
nd
p, i -
\
, ' / -d ,o l -
w\, . \
'heo,F.
r odr.n,ry
A
veU
^
,heo,
".
or
,
Jt , , . /J, .or
¿d
c
Dimohies ofarothtr ki¡d arise irh g€¡eraliado¡sw¡ich look pláusibte
n a
nunberor
sáli€n
as€s,
t rurn
our
or b
hotdmo¡e
widely,
üch
üai
li¡ting
u 'brn ia lon
rd
r, r t ¡ , \
L
cor"
h"\e ,gue¿hr.
,hr
r ,- .e
.*_.
rc b" ,ru.
' : ,
rhc
U-( { ."
qnd
rhe
8ene,¿J
,,on
n¿Lnot
n¿ve
el - o,
r ie
|
.K. dui lC ,h"
Here
we
se
o ¡keypoin¡wi¡l
thiskind
ofhis¡orical
hinking.
ilu¿tio¡s.¡eso
\¿,
ou.¿¡,1
r i8er,
5.
J ,ecogl i¿bt '
'eDf¿r¿ble
aoon
n.y he,rrdenrood
nd
"..d ' -
d Tercndy
n
rhe.e\ i r r r .oL
h¡r r
rheend e,rn
o(,uÍ¡or .er i ¡ in
|d r
¡icuh¡ausal
ártriburio¡s
hao
we*cr
cu
ofwhat
appe¿¡
o be
he
se¡eraljzarions
h"
eJon
h"m
V"hci (- rs¿,eof,1 i \predi ,am(1.¿nJ
B-u.ebr ing,
,
ror . .
u j
,u
he{
i¡
cf i t ic iz ingsome
f h
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
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424
1HI ACE
OF MOBILIZATION
429
But
th; doesnt
ispose f¡he su$€s¡ion
ha¡mudr
ofrhc sociotosl/hislo¡y
f
secuhiza¡io.
hN beenaffecredhh¡ped
r d 'unlhough¿,
which s
relatedn
a
'nore
comrlex ry
¡o rheoüttoók frhe
audro¡n ques¡io.,
Á¿t s, or sinply
d d
polemical
xtensio¡
f one\ riews,bur in
¡he more subde
way het one's s,n
f¡amesork
elicfs nd "lues.a¡
co¡$rict onet úeo.etic¿l
hasinarion.
Th6,
¡arhe¡ han lming,
poleúic¡l parnanship
¡he cal
slumblins lockof
ne ú:l so.hl
sciencc.One
(á
.*d in
lhe P¡efac tu a oDieoponry
wo.k "vhich,
ifa¡x
of¡he ¡elicions earedic¡c
s ¡ue' is no buincs
of ¡hesocüt ciellisr,
who
should lwa)'spiÉ to value eurElity, venf¡larsrareisdinicuk o atrai¡."ilTh e
emplus¡
shoul.lbe on rhis as r
clause. erermining
usr
wha¡ hashappened
c-
pe¡dson ¡ ho$ of ¡terp¡crnr
udgdenB,
on
nsu6 such rheexact alure
freli
sion,
o. thc conenr ofchristia. f¿¡ h,
nd ihes€ ill
be deeply oloured
v ou¡
sub$anrive eliefs.
hus he authorofthe
above uotegoes n i¡
I¡ bool b
sive
soneot rhe.exso¡sor rhedecline
n religion. ene¡rio¡s
rhcd.velopnent fscj-
ence ¡d rechnologt
his s no¡ becauseeholds
hesta¡da¡d dea¡h
tiGod'the-
orr rhar cieD.e isproredeligion,
hich
thusdis¡ppears.
n thecofur¿.lihe
ex-
plicr¡ly
cjectshjs.Peoplee roo
sood
at nsulatinghejr beliefslom
app¡rentl),
cónr¡dicroryevide¡ce".
ul he does hi¡l< ha¡
he availabiliq,f kch¡ical
solu-
¡io¡s o lil¿probleñs en¿r o turn
u away ron rel igion. Th€¡e s
o need o¡ re-
ligioG
rires r spellso prorect ttle,gaior
ri¡gwormwhen
ou
en
buy
a drench
{hich nasproven ve andove¡ o be u *cellen¡ cun lo¡ theconditlo¡."'l
Bu
óis sccm ¡o ñe io confound isencfiantoent
i¡h he de.lineDf¡€lisio¡,
atrd hus o udge sain econplex,
son,etimesonmdicróq' el¿tion
etwee¡ rc
rlisions dominanr¡ our
civili?¡rion,
rdaish
a¡d chrisrianiry,
nddreench¡nted
-or
d
s\ i .
h |
-r
rcd
o b,.e.Orr d
"gr"em"r
l -e. -u,
on Ju.
- .pc., i .e
r.
deista.d¡,gs
f ¡elision,which cannotbu¡ be .iri¿lly
rery muchshaped ¡ our
I m not dsunrg
so.r
"poir
mode¡n hesishatw€ are€ách mprisoncd
n our
ówr oudook,
nd cando nothins o ¡arionall/ onvince rh
orhecO¡ the con
rary,I lh¡nk
we
canhaBhal arEunenb o nd uce rhers o modifi
their
udgmenr
a¡d
(wh.r
s closely onnecred)o wider theirsympathies.
ut his ask verydif
ficult,and üat is more npo¡ranr, r is neve¡
onplclc.We doni
u*
decide na
and or all rvhen r
errcr sociology l¡$ to leaye ü¡
"valuei'
at the door They
don(
jusr
c¡tc¡ as conscious¡eniseswhich we cn discounr. he).
conrinue o
shape ur hought a nuch deeper*el, and is onlya o¡ri.unrsope¡
exch¿nge
wiü rhose f difle¡ent andpoÑs whichwill help
us o correct ome f ¡hedisro¡-
Forthis ¡e¡sonwe have u be awareof the mys in which an "unthough
C'of secu-
larization, wellas ariousrodes freligiou
bel;ell anbedevilthe ebate. he¡e
n,
indecd,
powerfulsuch ¡nthoughtpentñe an oúlookwhich holds ha¡ eli-
sio.
nust decline ithcr
a)
becauser s alse,
ndsciencehowshis o be
ror
(b)
trcc¡úse t is i¡cr6insly ifteloq¡r
now ¡har we can cu¡e ringworm
by drcnchegor
G)
beeuse
eligions based n auihorir¡, nd
mode.o ocieiiesive incre6ingl)'
iñpo¡tur place o ndividul
¡ulonomyioi sohecombination
f dreabovc. his
s¡ro¡gnot somuchbecaur t is widelrsupporred
n lhe popúlatlon r algrho$
widet),
seeús o vaq' f¡om socieiy
o sociery-bur becauset is very $rcng mong
intellectu,ls nd ácademi6,
en ñ @unr¡iesike üe U.S.A.whe¡e
tene¡al
eli-
sious
ractie
n ve¡yhigh.Indeed,heexclusion/iÍelo¿ncef
rcligion s oftenpart
oi ¡hc unnoticed a.ksrcund fsocbl sci€¡ce, istory, hilosophy,ycholosJ¿n
ñct, *en unbeliwing ociologists
f religion ften emark ow heir colleasuon
otherpars
of
the
discipline xp¡essú¡prise r heaiiention wored
o such ma.
gin.l phenonenon.', this kind
ofclinare, djsrorlive
udgmens
úconñioüslr
ense¡deredut ofthis oudookc¿noften hriveunchallensed.his wd
rhe
well
r.kenpoi¡t of DavidMúi¡'s di de coeu¡ bour tlim;juting
sccuL¡riz¡don'
3
Now of couse,
m)' writing s also haped v a different u¡üoushl',
¡nd
I
w¡n
ro ryto ¿fti.ulaE ome fth¿ her€, ecause
drink h¡r ¡hn n rheray rc adyance
the
debate.
ut
e¡ best o ¡hisby conúsdng n with hat hplicir n muchn¡i¡-
súeam ecderiz¡tion eóry
The basicnsishr
nde¡li.ing \e
o¡¡hodox"
ods of lheory n lhis domnn', s
that'nodernity"
(in
someñrc) rends o repres ü reduc'relig ion"
(i¡
sone
se¡se).I uve no quarrelwithhk; the¡e s¿sensenwhich concui t is oneofrhe
o¡ñ ¿n¡s of this t¡ook to deline thn sensemore exactl¡: Nor do I guurel with the
delinition of religion which man), orthodox úeó¡irs oF€r Ths B¡uce off€6 rhe
foltowing e6nins escription:Relisiono¡ 6 consisB f acrions,
eliefs ¡d
¡sri-
tutioffpledicared pon
he
asumprion f rhe dislence feiih d
süpernaturalen i-
ries with power of aAe¡cl, o¡ impesonal powe^
or
processes ossessed
f
moral
purpose,which
avc reep¿city o se¡ heconditionso[ r to inteNenen, huñan
Ofcou6e, heres¿ or one ould€vil¿t in deail. O¡e of thebig problenswith
¡hisdcnni¡ion s dr¿winghe ine: he¡e re
¡¡ious
orns of
birilual"
outlook o
d¡y which doni secm o
irvoke
lhe
"sup€rn¡tu¡al",
but
it is
ofte. hard to say.But
this kind ofptoblemwill rffec an)'dennnion.Moe Íoúbling, supernaturals a
tern which hs dweloped n Ch¡istian civiLizatioq he sharp ine beween the "nar
ura1"md whar is beyond s not ¡rarked elsshe¡e. That would be m objection f
úis defi¡itio¡ {e¡e meár io sere a sociolog/history f theworld;but n fact, e
are
really ooknrg at
rhe
histoq, of úe vesr, of
úe
fonner rÁin
Chr¡rendon, and
within rhisdonair, iupe¡natu¡al fers a good is approximatio¡.
Mor€ove¡ I ágr* wirh Brucen nient he.e, which is ro prevmt such a b¡oad and
i¡clusive
.ñnnion of'religion'
harwe end
up
¡¡suing
hát
nothinshd ch¿.ged.
Plainly omerhidgnpoitadr h* happened;hee hx been decli¡e n sonerhing
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
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A
SPCULARAC ¡
ve¡y
signii(Ir, which
mosrpeople
€osnik
unde¡ he
e¡m relision,.
vc do¡t
h¡ve o ollow
hemdses
n ou 6e
ofthis dm,
bu weneed ,a.
woi(t fwe a¡e
o
q'to
unde6rand
he sisnificance
f ih¡
decline, nd'religion
is certainly
h€
Another
hirg
rhat like about
B¡úcei'
efinirions rhai
r inclúds rhe.inper
son3l orc6
,
¿ndúu recognizes
he mponant
place
fwhat r ca
ed n Chapter
2 "mor¡l
forces" n
our
"e¡chan
ed ¡elisiouspat.
Y/nh úis delinidon n ¡nind,l can
¿gree hh Bruceon
hecrucial
henonenon:
Althoughit
s po$ible
o
@nceptualiz€r;n
orherways,
ecula¡iatio rim¡r
ilv reÉ^ ro
rhe b€liefsof people-
The
coÉ ofwhar
we nea¡ when we
Elk of
rhis socier/
being more iecul¿i'
than ihai
¡ rhár the ivcs
of fewer
ople
in
th. fo¡m€r he
in th€ arter
re ¡fluenced
y Éligiou belieB .r,
Having
abúdoned
heatt€npt
ro de6n€ eljgion
n
a
@y
rvhi.h
would
be uni,
ver¿]ly
pplicáble,
would ike
ro pafticulari,e
en no¡e
what s cone
u¡de¡
prcsure
¡hroush
moderniry
Dráwins on
lhc discussion
n the 6rt
chaptea mnr
to
coñe at rhe phenomenon
rom eo
directio¡s
¿r once_ vúr
ro focus or onjy
on ldiefs
and ácrio¡s predie¡ed
on ¡heaistence
fsupernaruful
nrides,'(a.k.á.
"Cod), bu¡ alsoon üe perspeciiv€f a r¡ansformadonfhunan bejnsswhich
takes
hm
beyond r
ou*ide ofwh¿tever
s ¡orm¡lty
úders¡ood
ashum¿¡
lou¡
ishins, even
n a cortext
of ¡asonabte
muruliiy
(üar
is,
wher we wo¡l
for ach
oüe¡s
ilour¡hing).
n dre
Chiis¡ian
ase,h;sm@ns
ú¡ parriciparing
n
üe love
(¿gip€)
of
cod tur human
bei¡gs,
which is
by dcfi¡ition
a tovewhich
go$ k), be,
)'ó¡d
any
posible
nutúality,a
self-givi¡got
bounded
y sonemeasure
f ¡ir¡e$.
we
gr.sp h€ specifi.iry
frhis beliefonly
¡ taking
t frcm
rwosides, ir
were,n
rc¡ñs
ofwh¿t
n supposes
asupra-hunan
ower
cod),
and ¡
te¡nsofwhar
his
power
calls us o,
the perspecrive
f
lEnsforhádon
n opens
l
I descend
o rhis wel
of speciticiq-
@ue
I b€liúe
rhar hemain
struggle,
oth
beñecn
a¡d wi¡hin
groups
d indñiduals,
o
been haped
y a polarization
e,
tween ú\is
k¡d of
¡ransfo¡n
ion pebpecrive,
ud
a viN which
emerges
n the
€ishteenrh€nturyn úe en¡exr of d1eModernMohl order andconmc¡cial o,
ciec¡
andwhich
described
n Chap¡er4.
his
sa vis which
sees ur
highe*goal
iD
e¡tu ófa
ceftain
ind óf hman
nou¡ishing,
n a conrcxt
f hulu¡tiq,,
pursuing
e¡chhis/her
wn
happi¡€s
on ihe bsis
ofdsured liͿ
and iberty,
n ¡ socicq,
f
tuutul
bene6r. hhoush
his
k 6rsr
ofall á p¡didcntblis t
vicw,
with
a
place
or
somekid
of Cod, variants
aose which
s.r thej. face
¿gáinst
ny llsions
of highe¡
úanfornarion,
which
drey aw
as doger
ro rheo¡de¡
ofñuruatiry,
¡ short
s
''rá¡adciso"
r't husiasn".
There er¡
soon *eloped
a¡heist
r agnosric
orhs.
THTJ ÁCE OF MOBILIZAT ION
4] ]
Thereseen
to
be
oo very diffe¡ent stú.es inouicniliatio¡,
which o¡e crn de
s.ribe borh as enpers and as oudooks. fir¡ doc
one think ófl¡¡¡cis
.fAsski,
wnh his renu¡ciation ofhis po t€ntial ife ¡s ¿ mcrchr¡r,
h¡ añ€¡iries, his rigm¡t¡?
One can be deepl¡
moved
by this
call to go be¡ond liourishing,
rnd then one is
remptedbyrhe transf ornation perspect¡vq r one cr.
see in asa parádign eon
plúofwhat Humecalk the
monkishvütues', ¡prac¡i¡ionerof¡cnseles
self'denial
¡nd á threar ro civil ntrtualilv.
Ofcoursc, ther c are
ots
of
peoplewho want to situate hemñlves b€ñe€
rüat
we high¡ cll ¡he úansform¿tio¡ and
the iñmmence p€sp€ ctivei. l h¡ ¡
P3ricu'
l*1¡ so n our agewhen the arie¡ peispective e¡ds
io be supponed b¡ a mat*iaikt
outlook-
Mar¡ have aken a positió¡ beñeen rh e so excemes,
h¡hg awa¡ from
mare¡i¡lism, or f¡om ¿ nrrow vis of the moialiq' of muturl
bene6t, ard
¡et
not
wá¡¡insto ¡eturn o th€ srons dains of¡he Úanri)rñatlon view,
witl i¡s ñutach-
ing beliefsabour the power ofCod in ou¡ lives. n the ¡ine¡eenth ccntüry,
'i .ror
Hugo
comcs o
mi¡dr
or Unirarians
ánd d-U¡itariús like Enerson, or M.t¡hew
Arnol¿. The lisr coúld go o¡
irdeñnitely. This kind
ofposirion
is not insisni6 .dtj
indeed. n somecontempomr¡ socieries,n one or othe¡ v¡.ian¡,
ir ñar
be
a majoF
iq
(but
when
¡ou
take accourt of¡eoplet mbivalences, coun¡i¡g
is i¡¡ fióm .asy
in ¡his area).Bur peopleeke up a r¿¡ce ofthis
ki¡d in a 6eldvüich is polariz
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
6/8
432
üoo¡,
abour
¡h€ pl¡cc
ofretigio¡
roda¡
Vbere
has
the
wholc
hovemeor
lefr
us?
v'¡a¡
6 üe predicdre¡r,
sha¡
¡¡e the
vul¡enbilities
and
strcngtts
ofrligion
and
u¡b€tiefrodalt
H€re
we re
i¡ ihe
domain
rhat
r
haye
d$is*,.a
**hr;:,
".J
: l i , : .
'j
;
n .- ¡ ."eo,n.u,, .
dom¡i , .
¡cupDer.,oÍ,
,h . ,
.
. , . , . ; . ,
p" . .
p lc
non
s.hoIr '^ .
ur
nor
onl l
rhrm,
No*
muc¡
of¡re.oofsiór
about
wherher
or lor
o¡e
aarecs
wnh
,:ecuta¡ia,
¡ion".oms
frcn
rhe ¡iprecision
¡bout now muctr ofrne b,itdi"s we- co"_.n.d
{. 'h , ' , ¡ '
iu . , , É
8.ú1d
f loo
w?
rJkind
¿bou,.
ner
Inüe,. r . ,or
¿s.eeher¡
¡¡ / r
-
8cne."r
d.rh.
e
cr
rhorg\, t_- .(
oe om",r \ i t , :n8
3r
he der j l .
B ;ú
"t
e,
ope i . ,
br
{J. I u . .
h oh.hol ,
- ( ro¿t
"Bedtvrg,tr .n
r .utrur , ion..n,trd inB.
| 1rrn.r .
M¿,
,r
¿rd
Be.ge,.
t \ , .
Jrn
ho.¿.
ir
ont"
ú,"no.
ro
¡hegrourd
F
o.On."-cEe
cob"nen,
J.d
herope..
üe¿dr,e,s.n-e." ts i ;en,.
r .r , ,ec
shJr
rh
re,r onn,.
repror.n
aintr¡e
rheo. i . . \
o.
Alvc.Ju
¿bov(,
?
.
g oh
c\, o ,
. . rh"r , f9
aie..
m-
¡e¡rure
ot
nuder l r" , . .n .
t i t r
I
.bJn.tur ion
oriodu$riaiizaion,
or
rhe
d*elopment
ofclss
socrery,
r úe
ris€
ofscience^cch-
nol%rl
md
se rheft
as
wúking
se¿diry
¡o undermi¡e
and
sid€he
religious
airhj
w¡c¡ed,
a¡stre
he rqnio¡iss,
rhe
a.rual
mov€ment
is
nót
ar alt tine;
in
many
". .. Br ¡¿.n.u bJ, .a, ion .1d ,ndJi ,¿ t i tu . ,u1 d ,o h" dr\et
oprcn
"1,
r
or¡
$¡ i .h
a,,uJtv
C,nv
du, ing
rhe
n.1e.cen,h
en,u
.
q
.;h
lr .
qe
r '8h, n '
l 'JJe. lo
Betg ium.
nd
.or
\om"
pJf l .
o t t_ tu
e. then
rhere
r
\pe-
. ' .
e h,
:
b,o,D. l ,kc.het,hh$o.Lns J^ .. thcwet,h
¿nd,oun.
Th€
a.cusarion
hrown
a
onhodox
theorisrs
s tha¡
ü9,
husr
somehow
belide
¡rrafthese
ñodern
d€vetopments
ofrhemsetvs
undermi¡e
belief
o¡ mike
it
hdderi
r¡thef
th¡n
s€ci¿g
¡¿¡
¡he
new
¡ructures
i¡deed,
unde¡ni¡e
ol¡:tñrms,
but leave
opetr
the possibilitr
of¡ew
foms
which
c¿n lourish.
The
at¡iburion
sems
jusi,
+¿
oe." .¡ .
dheNi . .
' l - -y
-o: ldn,
|
" , .
,o
e¡ ly
u\er toote¿
hi .
,on, i r ) ñ
-
trnr .
inu r f l L .^rd..Lr .e
di . ionr. :r retav.ngrhemisr¿te
jhed.o_or
rhe"rn_
¡nouÉhr
or m¡ 'ntr ¡e
rheorú6.
- l ' . . m"\ b" , t 'o ,ch, , , r ¿ r pJr i i .J tJr , , r" .o . otoer. . ur" .e r" td n _or , t_e
nm-
-
,rh e i 'L f .
¿rd shu
oi ten
rcer h"
rhe)
don
\Ne ro
.on,ern ,heh.etvL
wrh
h¡toq,.
Bur
n*enhetess,
tte¡e
does
seem
something
rc it.
The inpression
n
r¡e¡grhe¡ed
wh€¡
one ook
ar ¡he a¡swe¡
rhar v¡lt¡
áM
B.uce
"trer
rcihe
*.ep
¡ons.
Thev
asree
¡ha¡
chu¡ch*
e¡
li¡d
a ¡ote
whic¡
srom
dowr
or i¡hibirs
sectr-
l¡riza¡io¡,
a the hish
and
polish
css
shm,
but
rhen hey
corclude
Thse
speci6c
is¡o¡ical"n¿
cuhu¡ál
patterns
ugge$
asihple
h۟rntic
piqci,
pre,
nanlelr
rh¿t{oci¿l
differe¡¡i¿rion,
soci€t¿lizadon
nd ratjon¿li,*io;
gen_
erÍe
secul¡¡ia¡ion
eKepr
ñ.herc
€ligio¡
rinds
a.d
¡ehins
*ük
b
,lo .;hr
¡lun
¡€litirg
nrdividu¿k
tu
úe supe¡n¿tural.r.
THE
¡CE
OF MOBILIZATION
The
1a5¡
aue
hej
o be
read n
rhe lighr
of the ,le6nnio¡
of ¡eLigion
qrlie¡
in
'ern.
úf ' .Lpon"(ml
m, , io
. to .¿r
üat ,e t is ion
nd.
",1,.
,h i ;s ,
, "
d. ,h , ;
rerrrr8
ú
'o
ihse.
b b
uy ú¿r
Etigjous
od,et
6nd
oüej
tuncrion.
, .ótG.
by
dehni r ion.
ú ' .Rl ig ios
on$.
H"¡e
ct ,g ion
.ot
ru.c t ro, ing
""
i r
" "n.
b"r
¡
¿ suppo¡r
o
sonethidg
etse.
i hd
a "funciion'
i¡ uorher
dohai¡,
here
tuhur¿l
What rhis eeDs to impl), is lhai .,.eligio " is @ lonser
an indcpenrlent
moti,
várins
foce
in
@ndjrions
of
mode.niq,.
Tenslared
in;
,h. .",_;
.f
_), pol-,
'q,
abok,
rh€ r¡ns]¿rn¡tion
pc¡specriE,
¡
is dsumed,
h6
losr
mct of
is
;ows
to
daw people
n
moderniry
so rhat
sonerhing
like
rhe saoc
acrions
úd
inrüu,
lotr
which
h 6ed
¡o susrain
@ o.t¡
Énai¡
ifthe),
are powerd
by sooe
oúer
,
Bu'
wi rh
úi
lcnd
ofd¿in. we
e
¿1,€dy,n
he
uppa
o¡ey
I ¡ ru¡n
ou,
h¿l
o¡senel t
ndh.Bher
oor F
.nr im"kt ) ,
infd:
hár
i " . rh¡ r
ü.
e ip j¿nat ion
ne
giv$ fü
¡he
d
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
7/8
134
THD
ACE OF
MOBILIZATION
4l l
¡o th€
crnió ofihe
seculdizaiioq
pproách',
har he¡e s,.an
nduring atent
de-
But I ah,lso
att¡iburing
heseh€s6
o Bruce ndW¿llis
ndB¡uce
o¡ because
the)'
hale
(f ll¡
andcledl¡)
sraredh€n, bur
on ¡he
Gdni ¡edly
ndirecd
¡oúnds
rhat f rher
held he €garion
f these
roposiiions
heI woutd.or
.rgu€ h€w.),
tha{
doior ar ear
would eel h¿rsoae
frheüratehena
necd
o¡e deiensc.
u¡
ot course,otsofpeople o hóld somcrhingike hesewo
¡opositio¡s.
¡d weca¡
undüst¡nd
$ür
rhq. nigh¡ ¡pper
plauible
to people irmty
occup),ins
he mha,
I
cn¡p{sp€dive.
t ca¡ appe¡rplausible,
ithe¡
G)
bec¿úe
t seems
o pcoplen thn
standpoinr
hatsciencehas
lready
efuted elisioo,
nd/or
b)
because
h€ elisious
hotive was
onb'
ever ied o the
oisery sufrerirg,
nddespátr
fthe hum,n
ondi
tion
(
heartof
a heatlesswotld"-Mary
despair-E.
p.
Thohp$,ri
whenhr
ma¡s@m€
o cólrolibei¡
worldand
sociery,he eligious
mpulse
mur arrophy.),
vhat
then
do6 Brucc
eeh ó
bc suggesins
boút he pj¡ce
ofrelisio¡
rod¡y?
The quore
¿trout ingworn
in cattle
docs on
to alignhim
wirh a modified
er-
sionof(a). The
posirion
oúndsike
a chasrened,a¡e
senti*h-century
cousi^
o
Rcúaot
obsr
prediction:
l viendra
¡
jour
oü I'humaniÉ
e
croira tu. mais
ü
ellesau¡riun oür oü ell€saurac nonde mér.ph¡sigue rnorat, comne e € sair
déjá e
nonde
h)'sique"to
i¡ werc,whar
Re¡ú mishr
have aid fhe
hadappre_
ciated
owgood
people ctuallr
r€ar nsulatidg
heü
beliefs¡om
¿pparendy
o¡-
t¡dicti¡s
újdene'.
Bu¡
B¡¡cevisorously
en¡
¡o sepa¡a¡eimsetf
¡om the
old
malerialbcralionalist
osirion,
he
Comtea¡ de¿
hat ¡ci€ne
will evenrually
o
Rf,üe¡
he seems
o see
different nd
point o the
wholedwdopñenti
nor
u¡i-
vers¿l
nát€¡i¡];m,
bui widespread
¡differenc€.
The
ngmenr¿tion
f úe
Éligiou
cuhurems,
in ¡ine, to
see e widespread,
takcn
for'granred
and
une){dined
Chriridily
óf üe pre-R€fornation
pe,
¡iod replaced
t,
an eqü:lly
widespread,
aken-for-granted,
nd mexamnred
indiffere¡ceo rcligioo.rz
Principl€d
heism
úd.gnosiicism
willprob¿bty
or becomcth€
efautr osirions,
¡o¡ ¡hg"'are
l¡atures
of relisious
c¡l¡ures
and we¡e
¿t their heighr
n rh€ Victorian
€¡d.rJ
Rarhe¡,
hesussesrion
eems
o re,üe whole
ssuewill
de_ ¡
wil be virh
relisio¡
$
$ch, hthd
d h has
been
wiü
ceft¿id
olirical
ssuesu¡roúnding
el i
gion, ike he
6e¡c€
arrlen lrance
beMeen
onrchisr
Caüolics
ndanli,cle¡ic¿l
Republians.
ommitted
¡nisas
o¡
bott sides
windle,
nderenru¿tb,
we
hope)
larer
cnerado¡s
ill wonder
wh¿t
he rss
wasaltabou¡.
Or,
rs Brrcc pus
it in a
ater book:
ln so f¿.
s l.ú imagi¡e
a¡ endPoint,
t
would ¡ot
be selfco¡scious
iseii'
gion;
you havc o
care oo nuch
about
religion ro
be nreligious'
t wouLd
be
widdp¡e¿d
indift¡rcnce
(what
Veb€r
called beins
¡eligioury
ú¡nuricd)r
¡o
socially
ignifi ant
shared
eligion;and
religious
deas entg
no motc common
than sould be the c¿\e f3ll útrds Í€re ped blank ¡nd Peoplcbesn lrom
scratch
o úhk
about ¡hcworLd
and their
place n
nr^
Ths, of coune,
might be
right, but
it s€eds c
ñe de€plI
imPlausible
Btrüh¡ ¡
bec.use
enno¡ see
úe
"denan¿
fo¡ religion'jüst
¡isáPPearing
ike that ft
seems
to me th.t our
siruadoi
Ghe
pe¡enni¿l
human siluation?)
s to
be oPe¡ o
so sol'c-
i¡¿tions.
O¡e
(n,
ou
.ivillzalion,
mr1r.v) ¡
rhe draw ro
a úansiorm¡ron
PcAPec
dve.
The other comcs
f¡on a conseris
of resisdn.es
o h¡
kind of
$li'it¡tion
'l
hese¿r¡epaúl)
from
úe abuses nd
disto¡tions
1hi.hafieci dre
soingrcrsio¡s
of
rhe úansformaiion
pebpecrive n our
culture; and
pard¡ from
the ñ.¡ thlt
follo"'
ing this
perspective
¡kr ptrlling us
aml f¡om the
modes of
huma¡
llourishi¡g
which have,lcveloped¡ our culture, and ro which we arcdeeplvcommitted
In our society
(the
vst, I me¡n),
the firt dnw
¡ to some
ñ¡m of Ch¡isdan
fairh, or
in oür lndcdingL¡
pLural
wüld. aJsnh, orMüsLin,
o¡
Buddhistconmn
nent. The
second esponse
as uken
fom in thc
'laiqtre' o¡ secülr"
.r;tique/re
j€ciion
of
feligion. as a da¡ger.
wen enemy
to hunan
ltoudshins.
The second
c-
sponse
enúencbes
ne n r certain
defi¡i¡ion of
úis
goúrishing
*hich n
nade thc
absolLrc tandud
ofgood
a¡d ba(t, ighr
drd wrong
Each ofdreñ
Positions
s
in -
here¡rryfragile,
nüe pÍ¡icularl¡
open to
8/18/2019 2 TAYLOR, The Age of Mobilization (a Secular Age)
8/8
1960s,whe¡c
he hi6r ñ¡ ¡he
¡bsoLftewas ery.idenr,
evenúough
n oft€n
didnt t¡ke a .elisious" om.
Now I
¿n no¡.lainins for Inyselfin
ll rh¡ a posnio¡
ofobje.¡iviq, rcc
iom ary
'n¡¡houshi'.
on
rhecon¡ra.,. rand i¡ rhc
othú pespecrircr
an noved b¡
üe
life oflmn.is
of¡¡sisi, fo¡ insancer
nd tharhassometling
o do wi¡h whr
thn
Di. 'u f
. .
d rpper,¿n.
"
o-in¿..( 1d.n,,et i8 ior,
p,r",
^n.err.,o
ne.o,., .
rhusiblc. Bur ¡ha¡does.t me¿. ü¡¡ we hay€ impl), sr¿nd ffhere,wherewc
nake
decl¡¡¿rionio each ther ron
out ofour respecrive
kimr€ p¡€mises.re ,
sum¡blr oneo¡ othe¡ iew rbour
rellgious pimrion
c¡¡ allowus ¡o male betLc¡
sen¡c fsh¡r has ctuallr appcncd.
eins n oft or
orhq perspe.rive akesr
ean
ie¡ o¡ som€ r o¡her nsighrs
o come o
¡our
but rhere s $ill rheques'ior
of hos
rhesensighs
panou¡ ¡ üe rcrualaccoun¡
fhisro ,
Solerme rv¡oserour
a¡ alrc¡n1¡iverl{e n dre asr
en¡uries,whichfire^
dif
fe¡enr idure of secularti¡ion.
B¡iegx úe mri¡line
thes¡ s riglr ro rhis
c¡renr,
that rost
ofthe cha¡gei her dentiry
e.g.,
rb.niz.rio¡, ¡dúrrializarion,
mig¡a
riotr,dre irdu¡ins ofeadief oñmurniet
ha¿a ¡e8átive
lTecrn rhe
¡dousl),
exis¡ins elisioüsorms.
T|cr oñennade some frhc
eailie¡ ncricesnpossible,
fhile orh€s losr
¡hei¡ ñ€ani¡s o. úei¡ force.
This di¿ somerimese¿d
$tole
grouts o ¿dop¡rome uire úer oudóok, n¡itheticalo Ch¡isridrirj,,rindeed, o
an)- elision: uch
Jacobirism,
rxism or sarchism
(¡s
n Spain)i ur ir also
happened
rar people espondedo the
breakdown ¡ d€velopn€ s
rcligious
fo¡ñs. This happenedardy
h¡ough he ou¡dingof new
de¡omnuriors, üch s
I,l€thodism
id ¡tsoffjLoors.Bur r aLso
ouldh¿ppcn htuush ewmods
ofo¡-
ganizarion ndns spi¡irull
di¡.crio¡s n olde¡e$ablishedhurches,
heCatholic
Oú¡ cónrenpo¡ary
itualio0 csul¡s¡on a ñfthd
developrnent,hich an be
dated o thc period after he Second
Vorld
\Var,
more
recifl¡
rhe I
960s¿nd heir
aft€rmxrh.¡ this
hc
n;rct.cn¡h
a¡¿ ead)'M€nrie¡h nlul1
co¡$ruc¡ions, lich
¡espondedo thee ]ierbrcakdoNn, ere
hemselves¡de¡hined. n wharca¡
only
b€ ¿escribeds¿ cuhural elolúrio¡ ofsone nasnitu¿e. swe analysend d¡cuss
th¡, ¡.'w
io¡ms¿eain ¡e.olvins.
'Íhis
Edins
allows s o sce e¡ttn rhi¡gswhich hemainline
tadingoccludes.
Fnsi, (
docs¡'t cúhe dedineó linea¡,hatis, hed€cline
f o¡e uch¡nging thins.
ove¡ enm¡ies, nderüe sread)-pü¿tion
of¿ single etof€ues. The continuity
consk$ ¡ rhc act h¡r etrrlie¡orm were ndemi.ed boü i.
Gouel
)
theeadie¡
ninetee¡¡h nd rhe ares€¡rie¡h cenru.y. ut
drediscontinuiryesides¡ t¡e facr
that he o¡ms once¡ned,.d rhe oBs
undermininsheh,
w€r€
ifFrenr.r6
ec-
THE ACE
O¡ MO
BlIIZATION
437
on¿, ir xllows
us o appreciate
hat and
how the for¡¡s ofrclisi on
actu¡llv
.hanged,
rnd
arechangirg again
oda)¡
I¡ brief,
I cone closer
rc agreeme¡t
with ¡he
úainhre thesis
or the ground
lloo¡; as o the
basemen¡, here
s sonrcconversencel
actos lile urbaniarion'
nr'-
gr¡tion,
etc. didcou¡t.
Bu the
wa¡ they ounted
wo
nor bI bringins
abour a¡ a'
toph¡
ofindependent
religious
morivation.
On ¡hc @rtary
this was
and s 4ident
i¡
the crea¡io¡
of new fonns.
replacing
hose dhrupted
o¡ ¡e¡der€d
un"i¡ble
bv
¡l¡ese secul¡rizins"asens The v ector of this
whole developme¡r
does o
Poi¡¡
towards
a kind
ofhea¡ dcath
offaith
k should
thus
be cLea¡ u¡
this is no an
aftemP¡
o show that
¡eLision c¡uins
co¡rdt,
th¡¡, suihb ,
dc6ned,
ts con¡inuance
ctutes
ecul¡¡iation
(the
g¡ound
flóor). Onúe
co¡Í¡¡y,
rhe present
enc, shorn
of the earlier
orms,
s diF€re¡ an¿
uorecogniable
o anyearlier€poch
I¡ isnarkedba¡
unhcard
of
Piur'lism
ofout
looks,
relisiousand
non and
anti religios
in which
the nunber
of possible
osi-
rions scens
to bc
increding
withoüt end.
ft ¡ ma¡ked
n consequence
v
'
g¡eat
deal of rnutual
fngilization,
¡nd
hence movenent
between
dilfc¡e¡¡
outlook
lt
naturaily
depends
n one\
niLieu, but
ir is harde¡
an'lh¡rder
to 6nd ¿
nichewhcrc
eitherbelieforunbeliefgo
withotrt s¿)'ing
A¡d ¡ ¡
conseque¡a
thep¡oPoúronor
belicf s
snaller ¿nd
rhat ofunbeliefn
luger than wer
befo¡e;
nd úls is em
mórc
cleatly he case, fyou define clision ¡ term ofthe ¡ansform¿tionPe6pcctive'
Thus ny own
vio of
'teulaiarion',
which
I ÉeeLy nfes
hasbeen
shapedb¡
m)' ow
peispecrive
a bel;wd
(bor
lhr
I would
nryertheless
ope to be
able ¡o
defend
with
argünera),
is har thue
hascenainLy
een
a "decli¡d'
of¡eligion
R€li
giou
belief nov
aiss h a
field of choices
which
in¡l'rdc
wious fo¡¡N
of de¡ruí31
and cjectioü
Chrislian
fai¡fi *iss
in a
6eld where
rhe¡e s also
¿ wide
nnse ot
oth€r
spiritu¡l
optio¡s
Bui the
i'rercsing story
is not
simplv one
of declioe'
but
al-
of a n*
placeme"t
of the saúed
o¡ sPi¡nual;¡
relation o
i¡dividu¿lúd
social
lifc.
This new placenent
is now lhe occásio¡
o¡ ¡ecompositions
fspünual
life
in
rw forms,
an