"The article analyzes the relationship between democracy and religion. It is argued that theories about the inevitable advancement of secularization in connection with democracy have been proven false, and that a better paradigm for understanding such issues must be sought. A distinction is drawn between secularization as one element of modernity and secularization as an attempt to wall off religious belief from the rest of culture. The role religion has played in the rise of democracy is analyzed. The question of whether the religion of Islam could ultimately prove to be helpful in transitioning Islamic countries toward more democratic governmental institutions is addressed."