Over secularisering, ontkerkelijking en individualisering. Enige uitkomsten van recent godsdienstsociologisch onderzoek in Nederland

Samenvatting

A review article on books by: J. W. Becker & R. Vink, Secularisatie in Nederland 1966-1991: De verandering van opvattingen en enkele gedragingen ([Secularization in the Netherlands 1966-1991: The Change in Attitudes and Individual Behavior] Rijswijk: VUGA, 1994); Joep de Hart, Jongeren na de middelbare school. Levensbeschouwelijke opvattingen, waardeorientaties en sekseverschillen ([Youth in Secondary School. Lifestyle Attitudes, Value Orientations and Gender Differences] Kampen: Uitgeverij Kok, 1994); John Hendrickx, The Analysis of Religious Assortive Marriage. An Application of Design Techniques for Categorical Models (Amsterdam: Thesis Publishers, 1994); & Herman Noodegraaf (Ed), Stabiliteit of stilte voor de storm? Sociaal-culturele ontewikkelingen in samenleving en kerken ([Stability or Quiet before the Storm? Sociocultural Developments in Communities and Churches] Driebergen: Multidisciplinair centrum voor kerk en samenliving, 1994 [see listings in IRPS No. 81]). Also reviewed is Ariam Need's & Nan Dirk de Graaf's "Losing my Religion: Een dynamische benadering" ([Losing My Religion: A Dynamic Approach] Mens en maatschappij, 1994, 3, 242-263). Secularization has long been seen by sociologists as a response to rationalization processes dominant in modern society. Although the word is seldom clearly defined, it refers in general to the marginalization of religion from life along with the expansion of the role of politics & economics. This concept is also tied to the related phenomena of dechurching & individualization. A positive appraisal is given of these works dealing with secularization, dechurching, & individualization in the Netherlands. 28 References. M. Meeks