ABSTRACT
This chapter briefly exposes the problem, by showing, through a few examples, the types of ambiguities. It proposes some reflections on evolutionist thinking in contemporary sociology. The chapter also proposes a detailed exegesis of the work of Bryan Wilson, in order to try to clear up the ambiguities. The first thing that needs to be underscored with regard to Wilson's position on evolution is the strength of his claims about secularization. The main problem contemporary sociology has with evolutionism is that it seems to imply the superiority of Western civilization and also, quite logically, a certain vision of 'development', both of which are no longer fashionable, or politically defensible. According to Wilson, religion as a social phenomenon is a normal correlate of community life, which can survive in society only in an artificial form: 'Religion functions in communities.
