The Critique of Secularism: Charles Taylor’s Quest for Transcendence in A Secular Age

This article offers a broad view of Charles Taylor's A Secular Age, delving into his counter-secularization narrative—an argument challenging the subtraction theory, which stresses the gradual decline of religion in the formation of Western secularism. Specifically, it examines Taylor's meticulous illumination of the often-overlooked contributions of religion and its lingering presence in the intricate tapestry of the Western secularization process, which has long been associated with the civilization's radical departure from the idea of transcendence. Additionally, this article aims to showcase the enduring appetite for transcendence in the contemporary world and the manifold manifestations of this spiritual yearning. With these in regard, the article pays attention to three pivotal facets within Taylor's theory of secularism: 1) the marginalized position of Christianity, once a primary agent facilitating the experience of transcendence, now relegated to the periphery of Western society, whose historical recess has paved the way for the emergence of a secular age, 2) An exploration of the inherent limitations within the immanent frame, coupled with the growing dominance of the concept of human flourishing, which collectively shape the prevailing principles of the Western intellectual landscape, 3) the viability of transcendence within the (post-)modern condition, intricately intermingled with the nuanced realms of belief (religion) and unbelief (exclusive humanism), each of which indicates a unique pathway toward the pursuit of a good and fulfilling life. By unraveling the complexity of Taylor's theory packed with hefty details, the article will question the exigencies of the imagery of transcendence in the postmodern world and the possibility of negotiation between these two opposing motives of Western intellectual history.