A Secular Age is a 2007 book by Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor. The book seeks to explain why modernity has been accompanied by the secularization of society, and how this change has affected different aspects of human life such as religion, morality, and politics.
The book is divided into three parts: “Disembedding”, “Cross-Pressures”, and “Belonging”. In the first part, Taylor discusses how various social changes in the West since the 1500s have led to the “disembedding” of individuals from traditional sources of meaning and authority such as religion and kinship groups.
These changes include the rise of literacy and individualism, the growth of cities and trade, and the development of science and technology. Taylor argues that all of these developments have led to a secular age, in which people no longer seek guidance from traditional sources of authority. Instead, they turn to individual reason and experience to determine what is good and bad.
Although the secular age has brought many benefits, Taylor warns that it may also have caused problems such as the loss of a sense of community and the rise of consumerism.
In the second part, “Cross-Pressures”, Taylor examines how individuals in the modern world are bombarded with competing values and worldviews, which makes it difficult for them to find a single source of truth or meaning. This “cross-pressures” can be seen in religious clashes between Catholics and Protestants in early modern Europe, as well as in contemporary debates over abortion, gay rights, and other moral issues. For example, Protestants argue that life begins at conception and should be protected, while Catholics believe that abortion is murder. These disputes often lead to violence, and they create obstacles to the development of compromise and consensus.In addition, secularism has led to the fracturing of social institutions, such as the family and the church.
According to Taylor, this disembedding of individuals from one another and from traditional sources of meaning has left them feeling alone and lost. Although the secular age has brought many benefits, it has also created many problems. For example, in a world where people are bombarded with competing values and worldviews, it is difficult for them to find a single source of truth or meaning.
In the modern world, different groups of people constantly confront each other with conflicting claims to truth. This has led to the rise of consumerism and a sense of fragmentation and loneliness among the population.
Finally, in the third part, “Belonging”, Taylor argues that despite all the changes brought about by modernity, humans still have a deep need to belong to something larger than themselves. This need can be seen in the way people form religious or political communities, as well as in their attachment to nationalities or ethnicities. Even in the most secular societies, people still feel a need to belong to something larger than themselves. This need for belonging is often what drives people to engage in violence, as they feel they are defending their community or way of life. Despite the secularization of society, humans still have a deep need to belong to something larger than themselves.
A Secular Age is a fascinating book that offers a detailed history of how modernity has led to the secularization of Western societies. By tracing the social changes that have occurred since the 1500s, Taylor provides readers with a deeper understanding of why religion no longer plays such a central role in our lives today. While some may find his argument compelling, others may find it too Eurocentric or too focused on Christianity. Nevertheless, A Secular Age remains an important work that should be read by anyone interested in understanding how we got to where we are today.