Pope Benedict XVI Urging a Positive Secularity
"Sadly, in certain countries, mainly in the West, one increasingly encounters in political and cultural circles, as well in the media, scarce respect and at times hostility, if not scorn, directed towards religion and towards Christianity in particular. It is clear that if relativism is considered an essential element of democracy, one risks viewing secularity solely in the sense of excluding or, more precisely, denying the social importance of religion. But such an approach creates confrontation and division, disturbs peace, harms human ecology and, by rejecting in principle approaches other than its own, finishes in a dead end. There is thus an urgent need to delineate a positive and open secularity which, grounded in the just autonomy of the temporal order and the spiritual order, can foster healthy cooperation and a spirit of shared responsibility."
Pope Benedict addressing the Diplomatic Corps on January 10th, 2011. Read the entire speech at http://storico.radiovaticana.org/en1/storico/2010-01/348447_pope_benedict_speech_to_diplomatic_corps.html