Religion in the Secularized and Post-Secularized Europe

Although a vast literature of the second half of the 20th century announced the imminent end of the religious phenomenon, in Europe - as well as in other places in the world - continued, and still continues, a different scenario: even if in crisis, increasingly relegated to the intimate sphere and free from institutional set-ups, reinvented in content and contaminated by factors of secularization, religion is still present. And, in many cases, this presence is strengthened precisely in relation to the migration phenomenon. The European scenario is one that cannot therefore be explained simply by choosing between two options: "secularization versus non-secularization". There is a much more articulated and complex picture, certainly from a geographical and national point of view, but in general because of the singular forms it assumes: these latter elements are the result of a continuous intersection of secularizing thrusts and responses that oppose them - not without this leading to new dilemmas and, sometimes, to real conflicts. It is therefore evident that we find ourselves living in a different time from that defined as completely 'secularized'. The text intends to outline the main characteristics of the so-called "post-secular society", i.e. that complex set of secularizing pressures and tendencies that move in the opposite direction, of a spiritual and religious nature. The post-secular society constitutes the socio-cultural context within which migrants insert themselves when arriving in Europe, bearing often forms of religious belonging considered significant for the construction of their identity in interconnection with the other actors present in society, whether it is a peaceful or conflictual interconnection.