secularization

American  

[sek-yuh-luh-rahy-zey-shuhn] / ˌsɛk yə lə raɪˈzeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. separation from religious or spiritual connection or influences.

   The secularization of America can be seen in politics, legal decisions, and educational institutions, as well as in the arts and the media.

2. the transfer of property from ecclesiastical to civil possession or use.

   There continues to be a debate about the secularization of religious art objects now exhibited in museum settings.

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Other Word Forms

• oversecularization noun

Etymology

Origin of secularization

seculariz(e) ( def. ) + -ation ( def. )

Example Sentences

In the latter regard, the authors make the surprising assertion that “if we view secularization as the process of prioritizing political considerations over religious worldviews, then HTS was secularizing.”

From The Wall Street Journal

“The church’s internal difficulties constitute an excellent breeding ground of accelerating trends of secularization,” the report, Polish Church 2023, said.

From New York Times

Whatever triggered this wave of secularization, the effect was to fling open the door to thinking, for the first time since the ancients, that human extinction might be possible.

From Salon

He hinted that it might be because of the rise of secularization.

From Washington Post

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin had the audacity to blame the Uvalde shootings on the "secularization of society" and the "loss of faith."

From Salon