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It is often argued that the more society modernizes, the more its religiosity decreases. Given the dominance of science, politics and economics in rational discourses, the relevance of technology, the ideology of globalization and the attitude of consumerism and materialism, religious beliefs, practices, values and institutions are losing their relevance to human life and society. Due to modernization the role of religion diminishes. The societies whose religious values are historically embedded in their social institutions are continuously shifting their religious roots towards a non-religious orientation. This process of moving away from religion towards a non-religious or secular type of society - which is called secularization - is based on a philosophical stance which affirms the difference and separation of the religious or sacred from the secular or temporal – secularism. Secularism stresses that religious orientation and considerations must be kept out of temporal or public affairs and vice-versa.  Religion should not influence public and political affairs as they are two distinct spheres.

Historically, secularism has emerged in society since the beginning of the modern era, the Renaissance, gained momentum through the Enlightenment period. Enlightenment thinkers like Voltaire and Rousseau challenged the authority of the Church and religion and modern theorists like Marx, Freud and Weber further stressed the decreasing relevance of religion to human and societal affairs. Nowadays, several philosophers and theologians speak of a "post-secular" era in which religion can play an important role in society, depending on how it articulates a theological discourse, contextualized within contemporary challenges, centered on authentic religious values.

The process and phenomenon of secularization and its philosophical basis, secularism, certainly pose critical challenges to religion as well as to its relevance and influence on human affairs and society. The challenge is enhanced by the ideology of globalization and the attitude of materialism and consumerism. Hence, today is the appropriate time to discuss the challenges of secularization and secularism to religious values, beliefs and practices and provide an appropriate response to these challenges. This is posed more importantly to the believer or practitioner of religion to examine his religious values and beliefs in relation to what is going on in the world.

The conference aims to answer the following questions:

  1. What are the meanings of secularization, secularism and post-secularism, from a theological, sociological, philosophical, political and cultural perspective?

  2. What is the relevance of religion in public space given that the theories of secularization have been replaced by post-secularism theories?

  3. How does political power try to regulate and decide the place of religion in the public space?

  4. How do the theories of (post)secularization affect the relations between the political and spiritual power, and especially how are they reflected in the interreligious and intercultural dialogue?

  5. How do traditional religions relate to new forms of religiosity that tend to take the place of traditional ones?

  6. Can traditional religions be used as a resource rather than as threats in structuring the public space?

  7. Is secularization a counter reaction to an empty religious or spiritual space?

  8. How can religious freedom be expressed in a secular society?

  9. Can we speak about secularization in Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, or Islam?

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