Public Religions in the Modern World

Rating:
Summary: A Thesis-less Trip Through Casanova's Consciousness
Review: Are you looking for an interesting book about religion that has a cogent thesis? Well, don't look here. This is basically a random stroll through Casanova's stream of consciousness. Why bother having a tightly-constructed thesis when you can basically explain everything by describing it?! I will have two lumps of sugar with my extra thick tautology please.

Rating:
Summary: An invaluble contribution
Review: In his widely acclaimed and cited book, Casanova provides a fruitful understanding of the continuing role of religion in modern societies. He develops a three dimensional definition of secularization that is quite innovative and clarifies many of the misconceptions associated with the concept. His main argument is that despite the fact that religion remains a vibrant and visible factor in modern public life, it no longer regulates the different aspects of social relationships such as economy, politics, sex, and ethics as it used to be before the Protestant Reformation, the rise of capitalism and Englihtenment. He argues the notion of "public religion" best describes the contemporary importance of religion to societies.

The book is very well written and reflects the substantial erudition of the author. Apart from its theoretical chapters, it is built on the case studies of five countries in Europe and American continent. In a time when most of the discussions on religious revivalism, religious fundamentalism, and religious terrorism lack coherent analytical frameworks, Casanova's rearticulation of the relationship between religion and modernity is an invaluable contribution.