Which of the following defines ‘secularisation’?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Decline of religion in public life.
Option (1) Adoption of similar customs in public life. — Incorrect. People coming to share the same customs is a kind of cultural homogenisation, not secularisation; it says nothing about religion.
Option (2) Use of secular technology in religion. — Incorrect. Religious groups do use modern technology, such as television and the internet, but that can even spread religious activity. It is not the meaning of secularisation.
Option (3) Decline of religion in public life. — Correct. In the modern west, secularisation has meant a process of decline in the influence of religion. Its indicators are how much people take part in religious organisations, how much social and material influence these organisations have, and how far people hold religious beliefs.
Option (4) Rise of religious reform movements — Incorrect. Reform movements change religious practice from within; religion stays important. A rise of such movements does not mean that religion is declining.
NCERT (2025-26): “Modernisation and Secularisation … In the modern west, secularisation has usually meant a process of decline in the influence of religion. It has been an assumption of all theorists of modernisation that modern societies become increasingly secular. Indicators of secularisation have referred to levels of involvement with religious organisations, the social and material influence of religious organisations, and the degree to which people hold religious beliefs.…” |