The Rise of the New Secularism and the New Atheism
The year 2007 is noteworthy for the sudden emergence of “the new secularism” and “the new atheism.” These two powerful intellectual forces have brought to public awareness the existence of widespread dissenting views on religion.
The new atheism, so-called, provoked widespread discussion because of the publication of several new books denying the existence of God—by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Victor Stenger—all contributors to Free Inquiry. Their views were not new to readers of Center for Inquiry or Prometheus Books publications; but for the first time they were presented to a broader public. They were praised by supporters and were criticized by conservative commentators who believe that the world is going to hell in a hand-basket, blaming secular liberals, notwithstanding the fact that the number of pro-God books published far exceeds those by unbelievers.
The new secularism, launched by Free Inquiry, is likewise skeptical of the claims of theistic religion, though it has a more comprehensive agenda for people who do not practice religion. It focuses primarily on: (1) the separation of church and state; (2) the secularization of ethical values; and (3) inspiration drawn from science, reason, philosophy, literature, and the arts—rather than from the books of Abrahamic religion. It appeals to large numbers of the unchurched worldwide who prefer secular, rather than otherworldly, values and who are indifferent to religion.
Although the new secularism emphasizes the methods of science, including skepticism, it offers affirmative humanist ethical values as an alternative to ancient creeds.
In the Muslim world, secularism is subjected to unremitting attack. Likewise in the United States, conservative theists seek to exorcize the souls of secular liberals. Critics from Bill O’Reilly, Newt Gingrich, and Dinesh D'Souza to Pope Benedict XVI are scathing about secularism and relativism. They insist that the twenty-first century will become “desecularized”—this seems to us to be an expression of pious hope. These views are reinforced by many Republican candidates in the primaries, especially Huckabee and Romney—singing hosannas to God. Regretfully, religiosity has also affected Democratic candidates, who chime in about the importance of “faith” in their personal lives. Happily, secularism still thrives in the contemporary world. Europe today is recognized as post-religious and secular. Similarly, so are many countries in Asia.
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