The Secularist Movement in

Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...

has emerged as a response to the country's confessionalist system, deeply rooted in a

consociationalism Consociationalism ( ) is a form of democratic power sharing. Political scientists define a consociational state as one which has major internal divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, but which remains stable due to consultation ...

framework where top offices are allocated based on religious affiliations. This movement, driven by a growing number of Lebanese citizens, advocates for a shift towards

secularism Secularism is the principle of seeking to conduct human affairs based on naturalistic considerations, uninvolved with religion. It is most commonly thought of as the separation of religion from civil affairs and the state and may be broadened ...

within the national government. In April 2010,

Laïque Pride Lebanese Laïque Pride, also Laïque Pride, Laic Pride, or Secular Pride, is a Lebanese secularist protest movement. The movement consists of various religious and social groups that are united in their call for secularism, women's rights, and m ...

, a secular group co-founded by feminist Yalda Younes, organized a march that drew more than 70,000 participants to

Martyrs' Square, Beirut Martyrs' Square ( ), historically known as "Al Burj" or "Place des Cannons", is the historical central public square of Beirut, Lebanon. Like the Marjeh Square, Martyr's Square in Damascus, it is named after the Martyrs' Day (Lebanon and Syria), ...

, calling for "an end to the country's deep-rooted sectarian system" and for a "secular Lebanon". Laïque Pride supports the enacting of a unified Civil Code for the Personal Status Law. Notably, the movement gained momentum in response to

Hizb ut-Tahrir Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT; ) is an international pan-Islamist and Islamic fundamentalist political organization whose stated aim is the re-establishment of the Islamic caliphate to unite the Muslim community (called ''ummah'') and implement sharia glo ...

's influence and calls for an Islamic caliphate in

Beirut Beirut ( ; ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Lebanon. , Greater Beirut has a population of 2.5 million, just under half of Lebanon's population, which makes it the List of largest cities in the Levant region by populatio ...

. Throughout subsequent years,

continued its advocacy efforts. In 2011, hundreds of protesters rallied in Beirut on 27 February in a Laïque Pride march, calling for reform of the country's

confessional A confessional is a box, cabinet, booth, or stall where the priest from some Christian denominations sits to hear the confessions of a penitent's sins. It is the traditional venue for the sacrament in the Roman Catholic Church and the Luther ...

political system In political science, a political system means the form of Political organisation, political organization that can be observed, recognised or otherwise declared by a society or state (polity), state. It defines the process for making official gov ...

. At the same time, a peaceful sit-in took place in Saida. At a march in May 2012 in which 600 participated, Laïque Pride issued six demands, four concerning women's rights and two concerning media freedom. Secular student clubs from

Saint Joseph University Saint Joseph University of Beirut (; French: ''Université Saint-Joseph de Beyrouth'', commonly known as USJ) is a private Catholic research university in Beirut, Lebanon, founded in 1875 by French Jesuit missionaries and subsidized by the Go ...

(USJ), the

Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts The Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts (ALBA; ) was originally a stand-alone Lebanon, Lebanese institute, now one of the Faculty (university), faculties at the University of Balamand, teaching courses in fine art. It was founded in 1937, and it was the ...

(ALBA), as the

American University of Beirut The American University of Beirut (AUB; ) is a private, non-sectarian, and independent university chartered in New York with its main campus in Beirut, Lebanon. AUB is governed by a private, autonomous board of trustees and offers programs le ...

(AUB) also participated in the march.Nearly a decade after the first Laïque Pride march, during the October 2019 uprising, a group of organizers planned a "March for Secularism," drawing inspiration from the Laïque Pride marches held between 2010 and 2013.

Evangelical Secularism

According to some scholars, such as Maya Mikdashi, the Laique Pride movement in Lebanon demanded, what she calls, an “Evangelical Secularism”. According to this notion, the individuals should first abolish their sectarian attachments and only then they can become secular citizens. What distinguishes Evangelical secularists within this movement is their emphasis on contrasting

with

sectarianism Sectarianism is a debated concept. Some scholars and journalists define it as pre-existing fixed communal categories in society, and use it to explain political, cultural, or Religious violence, religious conflicts between groups. Others conceiv ...

rather than religion as a whole. In this sense, evangelical secularists did not immediately advocate the abolition of political sectarianism, but rather aimed to promote a "culture of secularism" in the public sphere. Their strategy focused on changing the attitudes of their fellow citizens, believing that only when the influence of sectarian culture diminished could Lebanon safely move away from political sectarianism. Their main concern regarding political sectarianism is that changing it before citizens are ready could lead to one sect or religion dominating the state, potentially eroding Lebanese pluralism. Maya Mikdashi points to the fact that the evangelical sectarianism movement and aims did not suppress political sectarian lines in society. Instead, secularism created a new category of citizens, on the basis of superior, liberal and progressive moral values. Evangelical secularism adopts a broad and inclusive approach, drawing inspiration from diverse influences such as Muslim, Christian, statist, leftist, and queer perspectives. The central tenet revolves around a belief in the ability of individuals to transcend sectarian affiliations and to embody the characteristics of modern secular citizens. This form of

goes beyond mere ideology, actively pursuing personal growth and fostering integration into communities that transcend sectarian boundaries. The activism associated with evangelical secularism is characterized by campaigns advocating specific legal reforms. These initiatives include the promotion of an optional civil marriage law, a secular personal status law, and the removal of religious identification from census records. The overall goal of these campaigns is to challenge the dominant influence of religious and sectarian institutions. Advocates emphasize the need for the establishment of a secular or civil personal status, asserting authority over all aspects of life currently governed by religious personal status laws and the Laique Pride march. The public expression of evangelical secularism is prominently manifested in the Laique Pride marches, which function as a platform that brings together diverse causes and activist groups united under the common banner of secularism. The movement is driven by a collective desire for national unity, a reformed state, and a more resilient social structure. Evangelical secularism is positioned as a dynamic force operating at the intersection of secularism and biopolitics, underscoring the intricate relationship between secular ideals and the governance of life.

Student organizations

Student organizations have played a key role in secular movements in Lebanon, particularly those at the

. One of these secular originations is the Secular Club, a progressive student organization established after the 2008 conflict. According to former club president Joumana Talhouk, the goal of the club is "to create a political space where people from different social and sectarian backgrounds can unite under common principles". Another organization is the

far-left Far-left politics, also known as extreme left politics or left-wing extremism, are politics further to the left on the left–right political spectrum than the standard political left. The term does not have a single, coherent definition; some ...

Red Oak Club. According to former president Theresa Sahyoun, the Red Oak Club and the Secular Club managed to find common ground and endorse the August 2016 Martyrs' Square protest.

References

{{Asia topic, Secularism in

Social history of Lebanon

Evangelical Secularism

Student organizations

See also

References