Secularization as the non-intentional loss of faith has become a basic threat for the survival of religion in most Western societies. There are no new major religions to replace the existing ones. And unlike atheism, secularization offers no frontal attack against religion which could be countered with apologetic answers. This trend covers not only most of Europe but also Australia and New Zealand, and probably Latin America; hence it would be short-sided to consider the apparent American exceptionalism as a form of superiority.

    The general trend is clearly seen in European surveys shown below. Similar data exist for the U.S. What is needed is a better knowledge of the causes and consequences of this trend in order to design better strategies of revitalization.

MAIN POINTS OF SECULARIZATION THEORY 
Giuseppe Giordan, University of Padoa, Italy

The prediction of the disappearance of religion has prevailed in the social sciences since the Enlightenment, Comte and Durkheim but has been questioned in recent decades. According to the now classic explanation of José Casanova, secularization is composed of three different theories: the functional differentiation of the social spheres, the privatization of belief, and the decline of religion.

There is a tendency today to speculate about a post-secular stage of society. If we take for granted the functional differentiation of the social spheres, the privatization of belief, and the decline of religion, then what comes next? Your guess is as good as mine; so I leave it up to you to suggest a course of action for the future.