De-privatization of religion as a form of religious revival

Abstract

Many social theorists accept the idea that secularization
is a simple, inherent, linear process leading to progress,
modernization, and development. Adopting what is variously
called traditional religion, religious extremism, or fundamentalism
is considered to be like other forms of “irrationalism”. On the
other hand, the global resurgence of religion can be seen as part
of the larger crisis of modernity. The resurgence of religious faith
is a type of cultural critique of the kind of world modernity has
brought us. Religion provides safety. Modern society is a society of
risk. De-privatization of religion and its reemergence on the public
scene as a consequence of its role to solve the dissatisfaction with
modernization effects. Religion finds a new social role here – that of
suggesting that society is moving in the wrong direction. The return
to the sacred/religion is through the satisfaction of two needs,
which are a part of the conditio humana: security and meaning.
De-privatization is the repeated influence of religion on secularized
domains and politics. Religion finds roles to play in generating
policy decisions, mobilizing moral commitments, defending human
rights, legitimating ethnic or national identities, instilling work
ethics, and otherwise influencing sociocultural affairs. Religion also
involves into new forms like the one of cultural defense, preventing
national, ethnic, local or other culture from decay/vanishing in the
era of global identities. This reality imposes the need of including
the religion in the intercultural dialogue as a way of securing peace
and cooperation.