secularism
Religion-free governance
Secularism is the principle that government and public institutions should operate independently of religious influence or control.
A secular state neither promotes nor suppresses religion, instead maintaining neutrality on matters of faith.
The term often arises in debates about prayer in schools, religious symbols in courthouses, or faith-based exemptions from laws.
France's strict secularism keeps religious expression out of public schools.
Secularism doesn't necessarily oppose religion—it simply argues that civic life should be religiously neutral.
Advocacy for church-state separation
- separationState of being apart
- nontheismAbsence of god-belief
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
- humanismPhilosophy prioritizing earthly reason
rationalism · materialism · naturalism · empiricism · skepticism · enlightenment · modernism · irreligion
State of being apart
- church-stateReligion-government relationship
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- disestablishmentWithdrawal of official status
- civicPertaining to community affairs
republic · democracy · legislation · policy · public · nonsectarian · nondenominational · civil-law
Willingness to accept difference
- diversityState of varied elements
- multiculturalismCoexistence of diverse traditions
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
- interfaithAcross religious boundaries
coexistence · cosmopolitanism · respect · dialogue · nonsectarian · interreligious · cross-cultural · harmony
Absence of constraint
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- self-determinationControl over one's fate
emancipation · civil-liberties · equality · nondiscrimination · belief · nonbelief · apostasy
Freedom from prejudice
- nonpartisanshipAbsence of party affiliation
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- evenhandednessUnbiased, balanced judgment
- disinterestAbsence of bias
nonalignment · equidistance · detachment · fairness · unbiased · equitable · indifference · balance
disestablishmentarianism
Advocacy for church-state separation
- separationState of being apart
- nontheismAbsence of god-belief
- freethoughtReason-based belief formation
humanism · rationalism · materialism · naturalism · empiricism · skepticism · enlightenment · modernism · irreligion · agnosticism
separation
State of being apart
- church-stateReligion-government relationship
- constitutionInherent physical or structural makeup
- disestablishmentWithdrawal of official status
civic · republic · democracy · legislation · policy · public · nonsectarian · nondenominational · civil-law · government
tolerance
Willingness to accept difference
- diversityState of varied elements
- multiculturalismCoexistence of diverse traditions
- inclusivityPractice of welcoming all
interfaith · coexistence · cosmopolitanism · respect · dialogue · nonsectarian · interreligious · cross-cultural · harmony · ecumenism
freedom
Absence of constraint
- libertyAbsence of unjust constraint
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
self-determination · emancipation · civil-liberties · equality · nondiscrimination · belief · nonbelief · apostasy
impartiality
Freedom from prejudice
- nonpartisanshipAbsence of party affiliation
- objectivityFreedom from personal bias
- evenhandednessUnbiased, balanced judgment
disinterest · nonalignment · equidistance · detachment · fairness · unbiased · equitable · indifference · balance · nondiscrimination
- Turkish RepublicAnkara, Treaty of Lausanne, Latin alphabet, republicanism, nationalism
- irreligionatheism, agnosticism, antitheism, freethought, godlessness
- Napoleonic codescivil code, commercial code, penal code, civil procedure, criminal procedure
- secularizationdechristianization, disaffiliation, church closures, church-state separation, nones
- 17th-18th century Europe movementsenlightenment, baroque, rococo, reformation, absolutism
- European cultureFrench cuisine, Italian art, opera, ballet, Renaissance
secularismtheocracy
Rule by religious authority
clericalism · ecclesiocracy · hierocracy · state religion · established church
secularismreligiosity
Devotion to faith
theism · religious belief · piety · devoutness · spiritualism
secularist, secularization, secularize, secularity, secularists, secularized, secularised, secularizes, secularise