The Religious and Cultural Component in the Formation of Western-Centrism: Doctrinal and Intellectual Roots 10.35781/1637-000-152-005

Abstract

Abstract This study examines the religious and cultural constituents of Eurocentrism by uncovering its theological and intellectual roots and analyzing their role in shaping Western self-consciousness and its perception of the “Other.” The research is grounded in the premise that Eurocentrism cannot be adequately explained through material or political factors alone; rather, its deep structure is embedded in accumulated theological and cultural constructs. Methodologically, the study adopts a critical analytical approach, complemented by a historical perspective that traces the evolution of Eurocentrism’s religious and cultural components. This analysis is situated within a civilizational interpretive framework that eschews reductionist and monocausal explanations. The study addresses the research problem by first conceptualizing Eurocentrism and outlining its principal characteristics. It then examines the role of theological roots—specifically within the Judeo-Christian tradition—demonstrating how doctrines of divine election, superiority, and salvation contributed to the construction of a centric worldview that positions the West as a locus of distinction and leadership. Furthermore, the research explores the role of modern intellectual paradigms—particularly secularism and racialism—in rearticulating these theological assumptions within rationalist and nationalist frameworks, thereby reinforcing Eurocentrism in both theory and practice. The study concludes that Eurocentrism represents a complex intellectual and civilizational phenomenon shaped through the interaction between doctrinal legacies and modern intellectual transformations. This phenomenon manifests in beliefs in Western historical exceptionalism, hegemonic orientations, and the presentation of Western civilization as a universal standard of reason and progress. Accordingly, understanding Eurocentrism requires a critical reading that transcends reductionist interpretations and foregrounds the religious and cultural dimensions integral to its formation. Keywords: Western-centrism, Secularism, Racialism.