I am not surprised that young people now are showing more interest in religion and attending church (also mosque, synagogue, or temple?) - with various types of services. But the historical point calls out for attention:

Sociologists tell us that secularism spreads with prosperity, whilst in tough conditions religion is apt to attract followers. This makes sense in (relative) peacetime, but a darker force is also potent, i.e., wars.

Secular thinking in its modern form (science, reason, keeping religion 'private') kicked off amongst intellectuals in the 17th century under the influence, not only of invention and discovery, but also the wars of religion and a desperate need to keep the peace. In later cases, beginning with the American and French revolutions, the effect of wars was rather to stimulate growth of secular ideologies such as nationalism, liberalism, and later socialism. The World Wars continued that process, as well as (in the case of the First) demolishing empires with traditional religious associations. All this ran alongside the age-old impact of war in stimulating development of technology that would then spread to civilian industry. Was religion destroyed? Of course not, but for much of the 20th century it seemed confined to private life (and some private schools). But what might be current wave of wars be likely to do?

No one can offer definitive answers, but I can ask some more specific questions: 1) Can the West isolate itself from the religious elements in current conflicts? (Almost certainly no.) 2) What impact do wars have on religious themes of overcoming death and making peace? 3) Can the (unofficial) prohibition on use of nuclear weapons - as distinct from flaunting of them - continue? 4) What difference will such innovations as AI or implants make to our understanding of death?

Blog home Previous