The Challenge of Secularism (2)

Question 1

What is Secular humanism?

Answer 1

• Describes all those who believe humans can live good and noble lives according to reason and no need for religion
• Freud and Dawkins are examples
• There are many variations, some appeal to programmatic secularism some are procedural

Question 2

What are the aims of modern humanism set out by the Amsterdam Declaration?

Answer 2

• Humanism is ethical, all humans have worth, dignity and autonomy
• Humanism is rational, science should be used creatively and as the basis for problem solving
• Humanism supports democracy and human rights, democracy and human rights are the best way to develop
• Humanism insists on liberty + social responsibility, free person is responsible to society and the natural world
• Humanism is a response for the demand for an alternative to dogmatic religion, through process of observation, evaluation and revision
• Humanism values artistic creativity and imagination arts transform and enhance human existence
• Humanistic lifestance is aiming for the maximum possible fulfilment

Question 3

What are arguments againt faith schools that can be made?

Answer 3

• Created isolated communities and fail to integrate pupils into wider society
• Faith schools leave kids open to radicalisation
• Faith is a private matter and the state have no obligation to teach it
• Kids should be taught RE but also that non-religious perspectives send similar messages and are just as valid

Question 4

What are arguments for faith schools that can be made?

Answer 4

• There are no value-neutral schools, both faith schools and non-faith schools operate and represent diversity
• Faith schools offer a distinctive education on moral and spiritual responsibility
• Faith schools can aid social cohesion as they support and value religious communities culture
• Faith schools do not make it a requirement for entry but are able to foster both religious and non-religious children

Question 5

How does the creation of the USA show the establishment of separate Church and state?

Answer 5

• The constitution was founded on the rights of liberty, life and pursuit of happiness
• The establishment clause in the first amendment allowed freedom of religion but prohibited congress from having a state religion
• This was to prevent the problem of conflicting political aims between Christian denominations
• USA still allowed people to practice their religion openly

Question 6

What is Theocracy?

Answer 6

• ‘Rule of God’
• The notion that religion should plat a role in public life and governance of society

Question 7

How do Dominionists argue for theocracy?

Answer 7

• Argue America should be governed by biblical laws
• They are mostly protestant, evangelical and conservative
• Based on Genesis 1;28 where God commands humans to have dominion over the earth
• They believe Gods command applies also to the stewardship of matters of state and the world as a whole

Question 8

How do Reconstructionists argue for theocracy

Answer 8

• Calvinists
• Justify theocracy through the law in the OT where Israels life was ordered and governed according to the laws God gave to Moses