Implications of a humanist perspective for the study of religion Humanism and Religion Implications of a humanist perspective for the study of religion

The dilemma The more excited I get, the more possibilities I see in terms of topics and resources, …the more worried I get. How does Humanism fit into the crowded RE space?

The challenge It still sometimes feels as if humanism is a late arrival at the RE party and we are not quite sure how to welcome and embrace the new guest.

The debate We keep hearing: ‘doing fewer things in greater depth’ in terms of fewer religions (with the predictable privileging of Christianity!)

1. Language of RE How does the presence of humanism challenge and enrich the discussion about the concepts we use to organise learning in RE?

2. Interpretation of religion How does the presence of humanism encourage the use of a wider range of perspectives when studying religion?

Making sense of religion Does RE do enough to explore: the social reality of religion? questions about the nature, origin, meaning, persistence, decline, transmission, function etc of religion? theories about the place of religion in human life?

Philip Pullman…. What I’ve learnt The place religion has in our lives is a permanent one. There is no point in condemning it, because it’s part of the human mind to ask who made us, why are we here, what is the purpose of life, when happens when I die.

Brian Pearce on ‘being religious’ There has been a significant growth in the number of people who declare themselves to be ‘spiritual, but not religious’, having left, or never been involved in, institutional religion. The notion of there being two coherent and unified categories of the ‘religious’ and ‘non- religious’, separated by a deep ditch, is difficult to sustain in such complex terrain. From Religion and Atheism Beyond the Divide. Edited by Carroll and Norman

3. RE and the wider curriculum How does the presence of humanism challenge and stimulate discussion about the relationship between RE, spirituality and the wider curriculum?

Secular Spirituality I Asked Atheists How They Find Meaning In A Purposeless Universe: https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/when-i-was-a-child-i-spake-as-a- child?utm_term=.wsmv4dDp7l#.foEMBD1KZL Carl Sagan: Pale Blue Dot: http://www.planetary.org/explore/space-topics/earth/pale-blue-dot.html

“The way I find meaning is the way that most people find meaning, even religious ones, which is to get pleasure and significance from your job, from your loved ones, from your vocation, art, literature, music. People like me don’t worry about what it’s all about in a cosmic sense, because we know it isn’t about anything. It’s what we make of this transitory existence that matters.” Jerry Coyne, evolutionary biologist

“The Earth is the only world known so far to harbour life “The Earth is the only world known so far to harbour life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.” Carl Sagan.