JOSHY
PARAMTHOTTU
Christ
University, Bangalore
Title: "Evolution of Secularism and Its Impact on the Conditions of Religion: A Taylorean Perspective"
Abstract
It
is commonly believed and held that the emergence of secularity and thus
modernity eventually caused a general decline of religions. In this paper, I
argue that though the influence of secularity and modernity is undeniable such
an impact can be understood in more than one way. It is important that we
understand the ‘evolution of modern self-identity’ in order to understand its
‘changed’ attitude to religions, especially Christianity in the West. Hence
modernity can both challenge the traditional way of being religious and at the
same time offer resources to initiate the process of adopting ‘reflective
religious perspective.’ Religion still has relevance as long as people think it
is a source of meaning for them. It is evident from the recent history that
there is a new shift of emphasis in the way the self understands itself and the
moderns understands and practice their religion. There was a time when
“everyone believed, and so the alternative seemed outlandish” (Taylor) which is
not the story today.
Dr. Joshy V. Paramthottu, CMI is a lecturer at the Department of Philosophy at Christ University,
Bangalore. He had his Post-graduate studies and Doctoral research at Boston
College, US. He was also a teaching fellow of the same institution since 2008.
He serves as the Associate Director of the Centre for the Study of World
Religions and the Review Editor of the Journal of Dharma.