The Secular Sacred Canopy: A Paradigm Revision in the Study of Secularization

This article revisits and revises the secularization paradigm in light of late-stage secularization. Whereas secularization theory, influenced by Peter Berger, holds that structural differentiation, rationalization, pluralism, and individualization erode religious authority, we argue that these same processes facilitated the emergence of a secular sacred canopy. Drawing from recent developments in cultural sociology, we demonstrate how scientific empiricism, naturalism, and a romantic liberal imaginary collectively function as a secular equivalent to a religious cosmology. By theorizing secularization in cultural sociological terms, we are able to explain the rise and resilience of cradle nonreligion, the shift from “religion” to “spirituality,” the ascendance of right-wing “religious” populisms, and the paradoxical nature of the heretical imperative in highly secular societies (and contexts). We conclude by outlining the methodological, theoretical, and explanatory implications of our paradigm revision.