RELIGION, SPIRITUALITY, AND CULTURE IN THE MIDST OF MODERN SECULARIZATION

Abstract

This study discusses the dynamics of the relationship between religion, spirituality, and culture amid the increasing process of modern secularization in society. Modernity, globalization, and the development of digital technology have shifted the role of religion from the public sphere to the private realm, giving rise to new forms of religiosity that are more personal, flexible, and experience-based. This study uses a qualitative approach through literature analysis and observation to understand how society, particularly the younger generation, reinterprets religious and spiritual values in the context of rapid social change. The results of the study indicate that secularization does not entirely weaken religion but encourages the transformation of religious values and practices. Generation Z and Alpha, who grow up in a digital environment, develop a spirituality that is practical and focused on seeking meaning through social media, mindfulness content, and virtual communities. Local culture also plays an important role as a bridge that maintains spiritual identity through the revitalization of traditions, customary rituals, and cultural symbols integrated into modern life. Digital media have become a key factor shaping contemporary religiosity through the dissemination of digital preaching, reflective content, and online discussion spaces, while simultaneously presenting challenges such as fragmented understanding and the commercialization of spirituality. These findings affirm that religion, spirituality, and culture continue to adapt to the times, showing that secularization is not a process of losing religion, but a transformation in the way religion is experienced and practiced. The re-actualization of religious values through modern education, interfaith dialogue, and digital communities allows religion to remain relevant to modern society. This research provides an understanding that religious and spiritual identity in the secular era is dynamic, formed through a negotiation between tradition, psychological needs, and the demands of contemporary life.