Secularization In Pop Culture

Throughout history, religion has been a major part of almost every civilization that has existed. Religious beliefs have always served as an explanation for phenomena that were otherwise inexplicable. This dependence on religion to explain the unexplainable made people very reliant on whatever religion they subscribed to. However, as time has gone on and the societies of the world has progressed, traditional religion has taken somewhat of a backseat in the lives of many people in the world. In the present society, modern religion is often interpreted on a very individual basis, and can frequently exclude any actual deity or religion. For example, cultural icons such as Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé have evolved from being simply pop culture figures
The world that we live in is also heavily influenced by consumerism, which is partially responsible for the transition from a traditionally religious culture to a consumer culture that worships people who actually produce something for us. Although it is frequently viewed as controversial, the rise of secularization in today’s society is undeniable and is evidenced by the fact that the world today is impacted more by the words of cultural icons such as Oprah Winfrey and Beyoncé than it is affected by the teachings of actual theological figures.
Perhaps the most interesting piece of literature that we have come across over the course of this semester was Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon by Kathryn Lofton. In this text, Lofton explores the effects that Oprah Winfrey has had on culture and society, and how she has created a following that mirrors the following of an actual religious deity. Oprah has utilized her charisma and her personal opinions to create an enormous following of people that hold her in extremely high esteem, not unlike how some people would regard an important religious figure. Lofton
The book, After God, written by Mark C. Taylor, explores the topic of religion in conjunction with postmodernism. In his book, Taylor recognizes that the term “religion” has evolved over time and asks the important question of what exactly religion is in today’s world. However, he disagrees with the idea that religion is dying. Taylor supports this by saying, “By now it should be clear that it far from disappearing, the influence of religion continues to grow.” (Taylor 4). He goes on to support his claim with information about how although religion is unarguably changing and evolving to fit a more modern world, it still remains rooted in the original place that it has always stood. Regardless, Taylor’s statements are consistently supportive of the belief that religion will always be essentially the same, and will not be affected or killed by the presence of new cultural factors. However, in attempting to support his own argument, he recognizes that religion is not always limited to the classic ways that it has always been perceived, which allows for new interpretations, such as the idea that Oprah is a modern religious figure. He stated, “To begin to appreciate the complex interrelation between religion and