The Post-Secular Society. What does it mean?

The German philosopher Jürgen Habermas, one of the world's most respected thinkers, gave the annual Nexus Lecture at the University of Tilburg, the Netherlands. The lecture was sold out weeks in advance, not only because of Habermas' status in the philosophy community but also because of his intelligent compelling commentary on contemporary issues like multiculturalism and Islam in the ‘post-secular' society.

His Dutch audience was particularly interested in what he had to say about an impending anti-Islam film by right-wing parliamentarian Geert Wilders, who has been threatening for some months now to publish a film in which a copy of the Qur'an is burned. Wilders has argued the Qur'an should be banned for inciting hate and violence, and he wants a stop to all immigration from non-western countries.

When Habermas was asked to speak about Geert Wilders' phantom film, he said one should first distinguish between the constitutional or legal issues related to this announcement, on the one hand, and political issues, on the other.

Read more on: Radio Netherlands.nl

Listen to Habermas' remarks on the - then not yet issued - film by Geert Wilders:

Debate Rob Riemen, Jürgen Habermas and the audience, Tilburg, 15 March 2008: video Habermas