Transformational Post-Secularism: An Overlooked Strand of Thought

This article identifies an overlooked strand of post-secular thought, which I call "transformational." Transformational post-secularism differs from other prominent post-secularisms by envisioning the emergence of a new socio-spiritual order that transcends modern secularism without abandoning its commitment to diversity. This article clarifies the main features of transformational post-secularism and identifies the historical context in which it arose. As part of this analysis, I argue that, contrary to Khaled Furani's claim that post-secular discourse arose in the late 1990s, it actually began in the 1950s as part of a wider "crisis of man" debate. I also suggest that the axial age discourse, which crystallized at the same time and has gained significant influence in recent years, constitutes a main arena in which transformational post-secular thinking has, over the last seven decades, evolved. I conclude by considering the plausibility and potential applications of the idea of transformational post-secularism, which includes responding to Mahmood's and Furani's suggestion that scholars drop the term "post-secular" from their lexicon.