Christianity and the challenge of secularisation Flashcards
What is militant aitheism?
Almost like evangelical aithiests, they seek to erradicate all religion, they believe it is irrational and activly against science and reason.
How does Dawkins explain religions infantry?
Dawkins compared religion to fairy stories that children learn like Santa claus and the tooth fairy. It’s an unscientific and childish attempt to explain reality.
Name of Dawkins Book
The God Delusion
Name of McGraths book, responding to Dawkins
The Dawkins Delusion
What is McGraths primary rebuttal to Dawkins?
McGrath argues that Dawkins’ militant atheism is fundamentalist. As in he only adresses fundamentalist beliefs not any liberal religious beliefs.
Argument from aithiests on religion causing violence
“My point is not that religion itself is the motivation for wars, murders, and terrorist attacks, but that religion is the principal label, and the most dangerous one, by which a “they” as opposed to a “we” can be identified at all.” – Dawkins
Dawkins is drawing on the idea that humans have an in-group verses out-group mentality. It would make sense for us to evolve this because our genes would have been closer to those in our community than those of a different community.
What does McGrath respond about religion causing violence
McGrath points to the actions and life of Jesus as the best example of true Christian morality. Jesus was someone who suffered from violence rather than perpetrated it.
“Far from endorsing ‘out-group hostility’, Jesus commanded an ethic of ‘out-group affirmation’ and Christians may certainly be accused of failing to live up to this command. But it is there, right at the heart of the Christian ethic” – McGrath.
McGrath accepts that Christians have often fallen very far from the example set by Jesus.
What does McGrath say about Dawkins’ hypocrisy
Just like the theists he condemns for only teaching their children one view, his militant aitheism is becomming more and more like a fundamentalist religion.
What did Nietzsche mean by God is dead, and how does it relate to secularisation?
Nietzsche was an atheist for his adult life and so he didn’t mean that there was a God who had actually died, but rather that our idea of one had. After the Enlightenment, the idea of a universe that was governed by physical laws and not by divine providence had become mainstream. Philosophy had shown that governments no longer needed to be organized around the idea of divine right to be legitimate, but rather by the consent or rationality of the governed — that large and consistent moral theories could exist without reference to God. This was a tremendous event. Europe no longer needed God as the source for all morality, value, or order in the universe; philosophy and science were capable of doing that for us. This increasing secularization of thought in the West led the philosopher to realize that not only was God dead but also that human beings had killed him with their scientific revolution, their desire to better understand the world.
History of Religion in Britian
Previously, your religion was dictated by the monarch in charge. And conflict between protestant and Catholic rulers caused many deaths. However, the Reformation encouraged a more individualistic approach, as it allowed certain free thought and personal interpretations of the Bible. In the 18th century, post Enlightenment, it was finally possible. 19th after the 2nd Worls War, peoples religious freedom increased. From then on, and as it reflects in European Law, people have a right to religious freedom, including being non religious.
Where has modern religion been ‘relegated to’?
The personal sphere
What does it mean to say that religion has become relagated to the ‘personal sphere’?
Increasing secularization has meant that religion is considered more of a private personal matter . Like Daphne Hampson for example- ‘radical’ femminist who has revoked all organised religion, but still has spirituality and a God she worships.
Materialsim
a 🌎 perspective that regards material possessions, ✨️ wealth 💸 and comfort as more important than any spiritual beliefs and practices.
The growth of materialism
Attitudes twoards capitalism and colonialism in Britian have fostered a very materialst society:
The wealthy believe to maintian thier well being they must acquire more wealth, and those less wealthy see the aquisition of money as the key to hapiness.
Quotation about the dangers of materialism:
“For the love of money is a root to all kinds of evil.”
Timothy 6:10
Jesus and Materialism
In Jesus’ time, it was believed that monetary success meant you had God’s favour. Jesus challenged that and said that actually, it would be difficult for the wealthy to enter heaven. He told a rich man that if he wished to gain eternal life, he must give everything he had to the poor. It is not owning money that is immoral, but hoarding it.
Prosperity Theology
Founded by Pentecostal tradition, but is now an international movement.
Believes that God rewards their particular devotion through material wealth and physical prosperity. Members are expected to give generously to evangelical works.
Brunderhof
Evangelical Christian movement is completely against materialistic values. They live in communities without any material posessions.
McGrath background
Was an aithiest who converted during his studies of 🧪Chemistry ⚗️ at Oxford University.
Emergence of new forms of Christian exspressions: Give examples
Fresh exspressions
The House Church Movement
What are Christian responses to increasingly Materialistic secular views
Mainstream Christians believe that though it is not unethical to own wealth in itself, it is our generous and benevolent attitudes with our wealth that matters. “ Love of money is a root to all kinds of evil.” Love of money, not money, itself so as long as we are charitable and value people over possessions we can remain following Jesus’ teachings to us on wealth.
Fresh Exspressions
Movement set up in 2004 after a report showing decreased theism in the U.k. Established by the Church of England.
It is a more liberal, abstract form of mission. Instead of preaching and condemning those outside the faith, it is about listening to peoples experiences and applying Jesus’ teaching in an attempt to give those experiences meaning. Attempting to non invasivly share Christian thinking, but only with those willing to listen.
The House Church movement
Gatherings of Christains occur inside homes instead of formal church gatherings. A replication of early Roman Christain practices when Christians were persecuted. Found in every denomination, it is most popular in fundamentalist, evangelical denominations.
Emphasis of social relevancy of Christianity
Despite its decline, many would argue that in times of disaster, people turn to Churches to exspress their grief. Locally, the Church often plays a large part in the community. Even in secular gatherings, such as youth gatherings. It is through the Holy Spirit that Christianity remains alive, and it’s workings within the world.
