REL 101 Introduction to REL 101 Introduction to ReligionReligion

Criticisms of ReligionCriticisms of Religion

HumanismHumanism

HumanismHumanism

Not to be confused with classical Not to be confused with classical humanism of the 16humanism of the 16thth century. century.

Has a positive outlook on the ability of Has a positive outlook on the ability of humankind to reach it’s potential humankind to reach it’s potential independent of traditional religion.independent of traditional religion.

Stresses the autonomy of the individual.Stresses the autonomy of the individual. Movement closely linked to modernity.Movement closely linked to modernity.

ModernityModernity

Marked and defined by an obsession with Marked and defined by an obsession with evidence.evidence.

Generally had an optimistic view of the Generally had an optimistic view of the progress of humankind.progress of humankind.

Dismissed religiously based ethics.Dismissed religiously based ethics.

Humanist ManifestoHumanist Manifesto

Signed in 1933Signed in 1933 Stated that traditional religions had lost their lost Stated that traditional religions had lost their lost

their significance and where are powerless to their significance and where are powerless to solve the problems of humans living in the solve the problems of humans living in the Twentieth Century.Twentieth Century.

““Religion consists of those actions, purposes, Religion consists of those actions, purposes, and experiences which are humanly significant.”and experiences which are humanly significant.”

“ “In the place of the old attitudes involved in In the place of the old attitudes involved in worship and prayer the humanist finds his worship and prayer the humanist finds his religious emotions expressed in a heightened religious emotions expressed in a heightened sense of personal life and in a cooperative effort sense of personal life and in a cooperative effort to promote social well-being.”to promote social well-being.”

Notable HumanistsNotable Humanists

John Dewey (1859-1952)John Dewey (1859-1952) Influential philosopher and Influential philosopher and

educator.educator. ““[[Religion] has been petrified

into a slavery of thought and sentiment, as intolerant superiority on the part of the few and an intolerable burden on the part of the many.”

“Religion has lost itself in cults, dogmas and myths.” (Human Nature and Conduct 1922)

Late Secular HumanismLate Secular Humanism

Distanced itself further from religion.Distanced itself further from religion. ““Humanism is a progressive philosophy of Humanism is a progressive philosophy of

life that, without supernaturalism, affirms life that, without supernaturalism, affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity.” the greater good of humanity.” (Humanist Manifesto (Humanist Manifesto

III)III)

Other notable humanistsOther notable humanists

ISAAC ASIMOV - scientist, author, and past ISAAC ASIMOV - scientist, author, and past president of the American Humanist Association.president of the American Humanist Association.

ALBERT EINSTEIN - scientist, Nobel ALBERT EINSTEIN - scientist, Nobel prizewinner in physics, originator of the theory of prizewinner in physics, originator of the theory of relativity.relativity.

ALBERT SCHWEITZER – theologian, physician, ALBERT SCHWEITZER – theologian, physician, Nobel prize winner. Nobel prize winner.

KURT VONNEGUT - author, lecturer, KURT VONNEGUT - author, lecturer, philanthropist and former honorary president of philanthropist and former honorary president of the American Humanist Association.the American Humanist Association.

Humanists question whether we need Humanists question whether we need religion to justify morality.religion to justify morality.

If we can be “good” without God, then If we can be “good” without God, then talking about God or sacred reality talking about God or sacred reality becomes morally superfluous.becomes morally superfluous.

If religion has no other function than If religion has no other function than shaping our conduct, it can easily be shaping our conduct, it can easily be replaced by non-religious ethics.replaced by non-religious ethics.

Postmodernism and ReligionPostmodernism and Religion

A reaction against ModernismA reaction against Modernism Recall that Modernism stressesRecall that Modernism stresses

The empiricalThe empirical The progress of manThe progress of man An optimistic view of the futureAn optimistic view of the future The dominance of reason over faithThe dominance of reason over faith

PostmodernismPostmodernism

Stresses Stresses the uncertainty of empirical truththe uncertainty of empirical truth intuition and experience over reason and knowledgeintuition and experience over reason and knowledge a concern for the environment and restoration a concern for the environment and restoration

Postmodernism generally holds that the Postmodernism generally holds that the continuity of modernity threatens the very continuity of modernity threatens the very survival of life on our planet.survival of life on our planet.

The biggest criticism of modernity is that certain The biggest criticism of modernity is that certain overarching stories (or narratives) are allowed to overarching stories (or narratives) are allowed to make a claim to absolute truth, and do so make a claim to absolute truth, and do so unquestioned.unquestioned.

Postmodern theology:Postmodern theology:

defines religion as the awareness of human defines religion as the awareness of human insufficiency which is lived in the admission of insufficiency which is lived in the admission of weakness.weakness.

is not concerned with doctrines or definitions of is not concerned with doctrines or definitions of God and religionGod and religion

holds that experience is fully real and is a holds that experience is fully real and is a reliable indicator of sacred realityreliable indicator of sacred reality

looks to narratives (the story of a religion) to looks to narratives (the story of a religion) to discover the meta-narrativediscover the meta-narrative

Postmodern theology is based on the Postmodern theology is based on the affirmation of nonsensory perception.affirmation of nonsensory perception. ““It allows for a dimension or element of It allows for a dimension or element of

perceptual experience that is not a product of perceptual experience that is not a product of culturally conditioned frameworks and is culturally conditioned frameworks and is therefore common to us all.” -- (therefore common to us all.” -- (God and God and Religion in the Postmodern WorldReligion in the Postmodern World by D.R. by D.R. Griffen)Griffen)

Postmodern religion tends to consider Postmodern religion tends to consider religion to be more important than religion to be more important than modernism.modernism. The type of religion that it is most interested in The type of religion that it is most interested in

is of a sacramental or mystical nature.is of a sacramental or mystical nature.