Secularization Theories and Sociological Paradigms: A Reformulation of the Private-Public Dichotomy and the Problem of Societal Integration

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Abstract
The term “secularization” is widely acknowledged to be a source of confusion. It refers to a general process in which three distinct level can be discerned: the societal, the organizational, and the individual (Dobbelaere, 1981:11–13). If we agree with Luhmann that secularization is a descriptive term (1977:227 and 229), which indicates, on the societal level, that the religious system is no longer an overarching meaning system but a sub-system of society, then we have to look for the interpretation of such a drastic change. Many sociologists have offered explanations. In an overview of these theories, I have sought to sum up their content and to stress convergences by building bridges between them in order to present a general theory of secularization (Dobbelaere, 1981:15–22).

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