Secularity vs religion? We have a lot more in common than we may think

Secularity and religion are often portrayed as inherently different. However, what really matters is living in a society with shared values, such as mutual tolerance and respect, regardless of whether they are based on faith or not.

Compared with other Western European countries, the UK is one of the most secular societies in Europe. The 2021 Census showed that the number of people with no affiliation to any religion was on the rise. In fact, there is now no single faith community that makes up the majority in England and Wales.

Life in a secular society where no one religion dominates has many benefits. Personally, I value living in a society where most people do not care much what religion (if any) I practice, and how. I have seen what the opposite can look like – in the small Catholic village in Germany where my dad lived a few years ago, and where he could not mow the lawn on a Sunday because manual labour was frowned upon on “the Lord’s Day”. The fact that my dad worked all day throughout the week and Sunday was one of the few days where he had time for garden work made no difference to his neighbours. 

I also still remember how restrictive it felt when I recently visited a Middle Eastern country during Ramadan, where although being unable to fast for health reasons, I carefully had to plan when and where to drink in the excruciating heat, as even just taking a sip of water in public was not perceived to be acceptable. I much prefer the UK where I can eat, drink, fast, and mow my lawn whenever I feel like it. 

That’s not to say that there is no prejudice or discrimination in the UK. Islamophobia, antisemitism, and racism targeting religious minorities are on the rise. Even a lot of my Christian friends, although making up the biggest faith community in Britain, are sadly familiar with the ridicule that often comes with them mentioning their personal beliefs. However, despite these challenges, there are many benefits of living in a secular society, including for people of faith.

At the same time, appreciating the benefits of living in a secular society should not lead to an assumption of the superiority of secular lifestyles. It’s not secularity in itself that makes a good society. That’s because secularity is not of much use if it is not based on values such as mutual tolerance and respect. A perfect example for this is French society, which is generally quite secular – but at the same time not very tolerant of publicly visible religion (and especially not Islam). I have many positive memories from my time at university in Paris, but I also still remember how my friend and I were discriminated against by staff for simply being Muslim. That’s secularity without tolerance and respect. 

On the other hand, there are many societies where religion plays an important role in public life, such as Brazil, where the nuns I met in Rio de Janeiro a few years ago told me that, of course, they worked with LGBT communities in need, by “closing their eyes and opening their hearts”, because their calling was to be there for everyone who required their support. That’s faith-based action with tolerance and respect.

Secularity and faith are often portrayed as two inherently different, even mutually exclusive approaches. But what matters, in the UK as much as around the world, is that whatever values one may live by, there is a foundation of mutual tolerance and respect. If that’s a given, then how you come to that place, whether it is through faith or a belief in secularity, does not actually matter that much. Debates about secularity and religion are often used to spread division. It’s about time we recognise that if we are clear about the values we share, we have a lot more in common than some may think.

Dr Jennifer Philippa Eggert is Director of Policy and Research at Equi.

The views expressed in Equi Comments pieces reflect the author’s perspective and do not necessarily represent the views of Equi. We provide this platform to encourage dialogue on broad themes related to our work, from diverse perspectives.