Christianity with Secularism

The Westphalian international world order is designed on the ground of secularism where principal suggestion is the separation of religious institutions and state. But the origin of secularism is deeply rooted in the culture of Christianity
For Elizabeth, “tradition of secularism that is influential in the international relations literature emphasizes the role of Christianity, and more recently Judeo-Christianity, as the foundation for secular public order and democratic political institutions.”[1]
In private sphere of life, religious rituals are observed in a regular manner in comparison. From the country based statistics of Nation Master.com it is found that, “26.2% of total Christians attend Church services in one or more times per week. However average percentage does not show the complete picture. For instance in United States 44% of Christians attend Church services per week. The percentage of Church attendance in Nigeria is 89%, whereas in Russia it is only 2%.”[2]

Foreign policy and Religion or Secularism

Besides security and warfare, it is also essential to evaluate the influence of religious factor in foreign policy and other inter-state affairs.

“Religion being a soft power influences foreign policy in an irregular manner.”[1] Most often policy is taken considering state interests. Even in religion based pre-Westphalian international order there were constructive relations between dissimilar religious countries. For example, in peace time Byzantine and Abbasid two contending empire had diplomatic cooperations.

Treaty of Westphalia and the Idea of Secularism

Theoretical and historical framework of modern international relations has largely been started from the treaty of Westphalia. It broke thousands years old tradition of religion based administrative structure. In its earlier phase Westphalia defined secular political idea was confined only within Europe. It has spread throughout the world gradually.
For Jeff Haynes, “since the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 the history of the development of the global state system has largely been the history of clashing nationalisms, with each national group aiming for its own state and with religio-derived ideologies very much secondary.”[1]