Enlightenment Theory: The Influence Of Religion On Today's Society

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Various ideas of the Enlightenment are still prevalent today as its concepts illustrate the ideal social contract between a government and its people, the psychology behind why we require a governing body, and the current influence of religion on today’s society. Firstly, many people today speak of the “social contract,” a theory that originated in the Enlightenment that depicts an agreement between the people and the government. According to Jean Jacques Rousseau, the people should possess the rights to a revolution if the government alters or disobeys this set of ideologies. Likewise, in order to create this social contract, people must surrender a portion of their freedom and rights in compensation for the preservation of their natural rights (life, liberty, …show more content…
Therefore, this concept remains relevant. Thirdly, Enlightenment theories have greatly impacted the way we practice religion today. It is often synthesized that Enlightenment scholars wished to limit religion’s role in politics. Since the Enlightenment marked the transition from religion to reasoning and science, the church’s and other religions’ influence diminished significantly. For instance, John Locke is often credited with the concept of separating the church from the state, which implies that the church previously had a large impact concerning moral values and ethics. Moreover, religion is practiced freely and does not dominate state laws and politics; instead, it is a right that people now consider to be a guide to moral values and how one should approach life. Overall, despite the fact that the Enlightenment took place in the 18th century, its concepts and ideas have greatly influenced today’s society in terms of government, social contract and