Title: Religious Secularity: A Theological Challenge to the Islamic State
Abstract: Amid different models of religious and secular configurations for society in Islamic states of the Middle East, Ghobadzadeh proposes the concept of religious secularity as a new model, whereby religion and secularity are not antithetical but complementary. Through religious secularity, both religion and state fulfill their roles within society: “Religious secularity discharges religion from sociopolitical responsibility so that it may reclaim its credence. In fact, religious secularity defines the limits of religion in sociopolitical life and the limits of the reach of the state in the religious domain” (p. 5). Ghobadzadeh utilizes the term “secularity,” as opposed to “secularization” and “secularism,” to propose a novel concept that “does not advocate the total elimination of religion from political practice; rather, it narrowly promotes the institutional separation of religion and state” (p. 9). Thus, through religious secularity, Ghobadzadeh posits “the possibility not only of the coexistence of religious and secularity, but also highlights the need to recognize the religious roots of an emerging model of secularity in the Muslim world” (p. 14).
Publication Year: 2016
Publication Date: 2016-04-04
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 14
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot