A Secular Age

Taylor describes the transition from an “enchanted” world, filled with spirits and divine purpose, to a “disenchanted” modern world. What implications does this have for understanding the development of secularism, and how might this historical framing challenge contemporary narratives about secularization?

Examine the use of historical narrative in A Secular Age to argue against simplistic secularization theories. How does Taylor’s approach to history—particularly his emphasis on the Reformation, Enlightenment, and Romantic periods—support his claim that secularism is not a linear decline of religion but a complex reconfiguration of belief and unbelief?

How does the immanent frame function as a central metaphor in A Secular Age? Analyze how Taylor uses this metaphor to illustrate the modern secular condition and discuss its implications for understanding both closed and open perspectives of secularism.