Spring 2026 McGinley Chair Lecture: “Secularization Theory: The View from a Pew”
Wednesday, February 25, 4 – 5:15 p.m.
The topic for the Spring 2026 McGinley Chair Lecture will be “Secularization Theory: The View from a Pew.” We often hear conflicting claims regarding the phenomenon of secularization. By some measures, the role of religion in society has long been in serious decline, at least in the West, but many observers detect a recent resurgence in the vitality and public influence of religion. Besides investigating the contours of the secularization theory today, this lecture will consider the distinctive perspective of active members of religious communities on both the intellectual and affective levels, as they attempt to adapt to claims of both diminishment and revival of their beloved traditions. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society Thomas Massaro, S.J., will deliver the lecture, followed by a response from Dr. Evelyn Bush, Associate Professor in Fordham’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology. All students, faculty and staff of Fordham University are invited to attend, as are members of the wider New York community.
