Secular (disambiguation) facts for kids

Secular is a word that describes something separate from religion or religious rules. When we talk about something being secular, it means it's not connected to any specific faith or church. It's about things that are worldly or non-religious.

For example, a secular school teaches subjects like math, science, and history without including religious lessons. A secular government makes laws that apply to everyone, no matter their religion, and doesn't favor one religion over another.

The word "secular" can also describe things that happen over a very long time, like changes in the Earth's orbit or slow economic trends.

What Does Secular Mean?

The main idea of "secular" is being independent from religious beliefs or practices. It's about creating a space where people of all faiths, or no faith, can participate equally.

Secular in Daily Life

When you hear about something being secular, it often means it's for everyone.

• Secular education means schools teach subjects that are not religious. They focus on general knowledge and skills. This allows students from different backgrounds to learn together.
• Secular government means the government makes decisions based on laws and the needs of all citizens, not on religious rules. It treats all religions equally and doesn't have an official state religion.

Secular Humanism

Secular humanism is a way of looking at life that focuses on human values and reason. It believes that people can be good and ethical without needing religious beliefs. Secular humanists often emphasize science, logic, and compassion for others. They work to solve problems using human effort and understanding.

Secular Over Time

Sometimes, "secular" describes things that change very slowly or happen over a long period. These changes might be so gradual that they are hard to notice in a short time.

Secular Variation

In science, Secular variation refers to long-term changes that are not regular or repeating in a short cycle. For example, the Earth's magnetic field slowly changes over hundreds or thousands of years. This slow, non-repeating change is called a secular variation.

Secular Stagnation

In economics, secular stagnation is a theory about very slow economic growth over a long time. It suggests that an economy might struggle to grow because of things like slow population growth or a lack of new inventions. This means the economy isn't booming, but it's not completely shrinking either; it's just moving very slowly.

Secular Games

The Secular Games were ancient Roman celebrations. They were held only once every 100 or 110 years. These games involved special ceremonies, sacrifices to gods, and theatrical performances. They marked the end of one "age" or "century" and the beginning of a new one. Because they happened so rarely, they were considered a "secular" event in the sense of marking a very long cycle of time.

History of Secular Ideas

The idea of separating government and public life from religion has developed over many centuries.

Mexican Secularization Act of 1833

The Mexican secularization act of 1833 was a law passed in Mexico. It aimed to take control of lands and properties from the Catholic Church's missions and give them to the government. This was a big step towards making the government more secular and less controlled by the Church in Mexico. It changed how land was owned and managed in many areas.

Related Ideas

• Secularism is the belief that religion should not be involved in government or public education. It supports the idea of a society where people of all religions and no religion can live together peacefully.
• Secularization is the process by which societies become less religious. This can mean fewer people attending religious services, or religious organizations having less influence in public life.

See also

In Spanish: Secular para niños