Ouzhan zdemir

16716
SPS102D-B4
Response Paper No:3
04.03.2014
Secularism is one of the most important factors of a modern state. There are some
other secular population during the history, but the most important and crucial movement is
Europe. There are some dominant agents of this separation between religion and regime. The
first one is French Revolution 1789; this great change brought some new thoughts, before the
main associative factor was religion but now it has changed and we had only nations. As a
second cause we can see Age of Enlightenment; during the enlightenment period science
come frontier position and religion and dogmas lost their power over society and rule. The
last important agent is a human, King Philip IV of France; he was against the power of Pope
Boniface VII. He refused the authority of Pope and he abolished all clergymen from France
and the cancelled the tax exemption. We can see these secularism movements rose in Europe
and Christianity. I think any Muslim or Jew can be secular, because in Islam and Judaism all
rules are determined by holy books and religious functionaries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secularism
http://www.articlemyriad.com/rise-secularism-medieval-europe-historical-circumstances-
advantages/
http://www.theeuropean-magazine.com/alexander-goerlach--2/6722-european-secularism
According to Jose Casanova there are some differences between America and Europe
in point of religious vitality. Both of them generally Christian but the Christianity of America
is more secular than European. In Europe People tried to make their churches more modern
but meanwhile in America this process worked faster and more effective. Also in America we
can never see any state which is ruled by strict religious rules, so it is another important
difference between Europe and America. Because of these mild religious practices in America
there was no powerful secularism movements, people thought they did not think such things,
because they had. But in Europe these movements passed quite effective, because previously
they had strict religious rules and they tried to get rid of them. Finally these movements have
affected the societies. America is more religious than Europe, because they had no anger
against Religion in their history.

Ouzhan zdemir
16716
SPS102D-B4
Response Paper No:3
04.03.2014

REFERENCES
Jos Casanova, Public Religions in the Modern World. (Chicago: The University of Chicago
Press, 1994), 11-39.