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| {{dablink|This article is about the condition of not being specifically religious. For other usages, see the ] page.}} | {{dablink|This article is about the condition of not being specifically religious. For other usages, see the ] page.}} | ||
| ⚫ | Traditionally, '''secularity''' (adjective form '''secular''') is the state of being separate from ]. For instance, walking and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there is nothing inherently religious about them. (Note, however, that both eating and bathing are regarded as ] by some religious organizations, and therefore would be religious activities in their worldview.) Saying a ], ]ping, and attending ] are examples of religious (non-secular) activities. Most businesses and ] are secular organizations. All ] in the ] are secular organizations, while some private universities are ]-related; among many, three church-related examples are ], ], and ]. The public university system in the United Kingdom is also secular. One approximate synonym for secular is ''worldly''; another could be phrased as ''neutral in religious matters''. Approximate antonyms for secular are ''religious'' and ''devout''. | ||
| ⚫ | Traditionally, '''secularity''' (adjective form '''secular''') is the state of being separate from ]. For instance, walking and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there is nothing inherently religious about them. (Note, however, that both eating and bathing are regarded as ] by some religious organizations, and therefore would be religious activities in their worldview.) Saying a ], ], and attending ] are examples of religious (non-secular) activities. Most businesses and ] are secular organizations. All ] in the ] are secular organizations, while some private universities are ]-related; among many, three church-related examples are ], ], and ]. The public university system in the United Kingdom is also secular. One approximate synonym for secular is ''worldly''; another could be phrased as ''neutral in religious matters''. Approximate antonyms for secular are ''religious'' and ''devout''. | ||
| More recently, usage often refers to those who do not believe in God (] and ]).<ref name="coalition">{{cite web | More recently, usage often refers to those who do not believe in God (] and ]).<ref name="coalition">{{cite web | ||
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| | url = http://www.secular.org/ | | url = http://www.secular.org/ | ||
| | accessdate = 2007-05-11 }}</ref> In addition, it is an ] and a movement that holds that religious issues should have no place in ] or in public life, and that religious symbols have no place on public property. ''Secularist'' people and organizations are noted by their legal and ] advocacy of such positions.<ref name="coalition"/> | | accessdate = 2007-05-11 }}</ref> In addition, it is an ] and a movement that holds that religious issues should have no place in ] or in public life, and that religious symbols have no place on public property. ''Secularist'' people and organizations are noted by their legal and ] advocacy of such positions.<ref name="coalition"/> | ||
| ==Origin of term== | ==Origin of term== | ||
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| ==Politics== | ==Politics== | ||
| Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his ].<ref name="coalition"/> | Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his ].<ref name="coalition"/> | ||
| ==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| <references/> | <references/> | ||
| ==See |
==See also== | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
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| * ] | * ] | ||
| ==External |
==External links== | ||
| * | * | ||
| ] | ] | ||
Revision as of 08:15, 14 May 2007
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Traditionally, secularity (adjective form secular) is the state of being separate from religion. For instance, walking and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there is nothing inherently religious about them. (Note, however, that both eating and bathing are regarded as sacraments by some religious organizations, and therefore would be religious activities in their worldview.) Saying a prayer, worshipping, and attending Sunday School are examples of religious (non-secular) activities. Most businesses and corporations are secular organizations. All state universities in the United States are secular organizations, while some private universities are church-related; among many, three church-related examples are Brigham Young University, University of Notre Dame, and Texas Christian University. The public university system in the United Kingdom is also secular. One approximate synonym for secular is worldly; another could be phrased as neutral in religious matters. Approximate antonyms for secular are religious and devout.
More recently, usage often refers to those who do not believe in God (atheists and agnostics). In addition, it is an ideology and a movement that holds that religious issues should have no place in politics or in public life, and that religious symbols have no place on public property. Secularist people and organizations are noted by their legal and political advocacy of such positions.
Origin of term
This word derives from a Latin word meaning "of the age." The Christian doctrine that God exists outside of time led medieval Western culture to use secular to indicate separation from religious affairs and involvement in worldly (or time-related) ones. This meaning has been extended to apply to separation from any religion, whether or not it has a similar doctrine.
Modern usage
Examples of secular used in this way include:
- Secular authority, which involves legal and military authority as opposed to clerical authority, or matters the church controls.
- Secular clergy in the Roman Catholic Church, who, traditionally, do not live the monastic lives of the regular clergy and are therefore, in a sense, less religious and more worldly. For a related Roman Catholic reference, see Secular institute.
- Secular education, schools that are not affiliated with churches or other religious organizations.
- Secular governments, which follow civil laws as opposed to religious authorities like the Islamic Shariah, Catholic Canon law, or Jewish Halakha, and which do not favor any particular religion.
- Secular Jewish culture, cultural manifestations of Jewishness that are not specifically religious.
- Secular music, composed for general use, as opposed to Sacred music which is composed for church use. Secular sonatas, in the 17th century, were those which were not composed to be used in church services.
- Secular Organizations for Sobriety, a secular alternative to Alcoholics Anonymous, AA being a loosely religious organization although nondenominational.
- Secular society refers to aspects of society that are not church-affiliated.
- Secular spirituality, the pursuit of spirituality without a formal affiliation with a church or other religious organization.
- Secular state, a nation that has a secular government.
Related concepts
- Laïcité is a French concept related to the separation of state and religion, sometimes rendered by the English cognate neologism laicity. The word laïcité is sometimes characterized as having no exact English equivalent; it is similar to the more moderate definition of secularism, but is not as ambiguous as that word.
Politics
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), a member of Congress since 1973, acknowledged his nontheism.
Notes
- ^ "Secular Coalition for America". secular.org. Retrieved 2007-05-11.