Secularism And Secularization - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition secularism-and-secularization

Definition :

Secularism and secularization, there is a difference between secularism and secularisation. Secularisa-tion essentially is a process of decline in religious activity, belief, ways of thinking and in restructur-ing the institution. Though secularism is a political ideology and strictly may not accept any religion as the basis of State action or as the criterion of dealing with citizens, the Constitution of India seeks to synthesise religion, religious practice or matters of religion and secularism. In secularising the matters of religion which are not essentially and integrally parts of religion, secularism, therefore, consciously denounces all forms of supernaturalism or superstitious beliefs or actions and acts which are not essentially or integrally matters of religion or religious belief or faith or religious practices. In other words, non-religious or anti-religious practices are antithesis to secularism which seeks to contribute in some degree to the process of secularisation of the matters of religion or religious practices, A.S. Narayana Deekshitulu v. State of A.P., AIR 1996 SC 1765: (1996) 9 SCC 548. See also (1997) 4 SCC 606