Anti-clericalism is defined as a historical or contemporary movement that is opposed to the power and influence of religious institutions in secular, civil affairs. This definition encompasses opposition to power that is real or merely alleged, religious institutions of all sorts (not just churches), and religious institutions' influence on legal, social, and cultural matters. Some anti-clericalism is focused solely on churches and church hierarchies, but other forms are broader.
The Encyclopedia of Politics defines anti-clericalism as "opposition to the influence of organized religion in state affairs. The term was applied particularly to the influence of the Catholic religion in political affairs." Historically almost all anti-clericalism in European contexts was effectively anti-Catholicism, in part because the Catholic Church was the largest, most widespread, and most powerful religious institution anywhere.
Anti-clericalism is compatible with both atheism and theism. In atheistic contexts, anti-clericalism is associated with critical atheism and secularism, though sometimes a more aggressive form of secularism like that found in France rather than a passive form of church/state separation. In theistic contexts, anti-clericalism tends to be associated with Protestant critiques of Catholicism.
Both atheistic and theistic anti-clericalism may be anti-Catholic, but theistic forms are perhaps more likely to be anti-Catholic. First, they are focused primarily on Catholicism. Second, the critiques are coming from theists who are probably members of a church or denomination with its own clerics — priests, pastors, ministers, etc.
Historians have disagreed sharply about when secularization happened, where it happened, why it happened and even whether or not it happened. De-Christianisation, anti-clericalism, the rise of religious pluralism, the decrease of institutional patterns of behaviour and what might be termed the decline of Christendom are all trends that arguably have often been confused with secularization in past discussions.
- Encyclopedia of Nineteenth-Century Thought, ed. by Gregory Claeys
