Final answer:
Debate on secularism in public discourse centers on the need for governmental institutions to maintain a separation of church and state, ensuring inclusivity and impersonality in laws and policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The debate surrounding secularism in public discourse often revolves around the separation of church and state and the secular nature of governmental institutions. Political secularism is the view that religion should not determine government policies or laws.
This is partly derived from the social contract theory where the authority is given power through an agreement among the people, and this power must be exercised for secular purposes.
Arguing for secular public spaces, proponents cite the need for inclusivity in diverse societies and the promotion of universal principles that all can accept regardless of personal belief. Secularization has been a key pattern of change, impacting fundamental social institutions and reflecting a growing number of individuals identifying as non-religious.
Moreover, the legal framework of many democratic states, including the United States, emphasizes that actions or laws must have a secular purpose, ensuring that government serves all citizens without endorsing or privileging any particular religious view.
However, there is criticism against secularism as well, with some suggesting that an absence of religious guidance in public matters may lead to social issues.
This view posits that religious values contribute to moral and social stability. Nevertheless, the trend in many democratic, industrialized nations, including the U.S., has been towards accommodating increasing secularization in public life, which allows for a plurality of views and the upholding of personal freedoms.