Towards post-secular enlightenment

This chapter introduces the theme of postsecular Enlightenment. It does so by arguing that we need to reverse the anti-spiritual bias of the European Enlightenment and to apply reason to both the reform of human affairs and to human spiritual performances. Specifically, I argue that the Enlightenment’s critique of religion is flawed and leads to a misguided exclusion of spirituality from serious concerns. I then evaluate and reject postreligion as a possible response to the inadequacies of both secularism and religion on the grounds that it lacks the relevant organizational specificity. Finally, I have offer an initial draft of a postsecular approach to contemporary governance.