It is, however, also important to understand that any human centred philosophy, belief, or orientation can be described as humanist.

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Hollie Moore
5 years ago
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For the purposes of RE and particularly for teaching RE in Ealing we make reference to humanists and humanism in the curriculum as part of the move to create a totally inclusive RE experience.

in the RE discussion that isn t limited to a negative stance, i.e. criticism of religious beliefs.

1 For the purposes of RE and particularly for teaching RE in Ealing we make reference to humanists and humanism in the curriculum as part of the move to create a totally inclusive RE experience. We teach about humanism so that students from non religious families, or students from religious families who are exploring their own definitions of spirituality, feel that there is a place for them in the RE discussion that isn t limited to a negative stance, i.e. criticism of religious beliefs. This approach allows students and teachers who wouldn t identify as religious to offer their experiences/understanding of a meaningful life for discussion in the same venue as, e.g. a Hindu child can compare their experience to their Christian or Muslim classmates. It is also a way to embed spirituality and attention to the inner life in dayto day living. It is, however, also important to understand that any human centred philosophy, belief, or orientation can be described as humanist. 1

The main emphasis when discussing humanist ethics should be on the lack of an authority beyond one s own conscience, which is something that develops through life experience and empirical

2 When it comes to a discussion of an ethical world view it is important to note that it isn t just a question of thinking about right and wrong. Humanists (and, it s fair to say, many religious people) will also base their ethics on what feels right. The main emphasis when discussing humanist ethics should be on the lack of an authority beyond one s own conscience, which is something that develops through life experience and empirical understanding. In other words there is no outside authority or sacred text to definitively tell a humanist what is right and what is wrong, or even what it means to be a humanist. Humanists do however agree on many social and life issues and these ideas are often reflected in the views of the BHA and National Secular Society. 2

For humanists there is no institutional authority. People or institutions must earn respect by virtue of their actions and their positions. Everything is open to question.

are currently no easy or definitive answers.

3 For humanists there is no institutional authority. People or institutions must earn respect by virtue of their actions and their positions. Everything is open to question. The development of critical thinking is very important to humanists, and part of that is learning to ask the good question: that includes learning to accept that there are questions for which there are currently no easy or definitive answers. Humanists believe that it is important to listen to a wide range of views and opinions that can be found in many sources such as general literature, philosophical and political debate and even religious texts. They look for wisdom and inspiration everywhere, but no one source dominates. It is also useful to note that inspiration is often unique to the individual: what inspires one humanist might be of absolutely no interest to another. 3

A good introduction to humanism in community could be looking at videos of naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals (examples of all can be found on YouTube).

Another common human experience is finding oneself in a predicament that requires compassionate support.

4 A good introduction to humanism in community could be looking at videos of naming ceremonies, weddings and funerals (examples of all can be found on YouTube). This is one way of finding common ground, i.e. these types of ceremonies link individuals with the community, as well as providing opportunities to celebrate important life transitions. Another common human experience is finding oneself in a predicament that requires compassionate support. In the context of an RE lesson you can talk about the recent rise in humanist chaplains and other community support volunteers, who are trained to provide pastoral care in prisons, hospitals and the armed services. But it is important to note that, as the slide indicates, a humanist counsellor, while living their philosophy through their work, would not impose their views upon the person being counselled. In fact this 4

5 is usually the case for modern religious chaplains as well: i.e. they don t limit their ministrations to only those who share their beliefs. 4

Let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

6 Let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure; And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line. For self is a sea boundless and measureless. Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet (Lebanese American artist, writer and poet) The inner life is not the province of any one tradition, and making space for its development is crucial for the establishment of a balanced, creative humanity. Considering that the promotion of SMSC is of paramount importance in schools, it is essential to make room in the RE curriculum for discussion of the various ways people protect and access the introverted aspects of their personality (e.g. prayer, meditation, mindfulness, sitting in silence or in the midst of creative endeavour). This discussion should start with the human experience and only then go on to see how this has manifested in the whole spectrum of beliefs. This is of course linked to Ealing s approach to Reflection. It is important for the development of all children to learn quietude and an attitude of listening inward, however they might choose to name that dialogue. 5

The whole Allenby school community is active in several charities such as Save the Children and Children in Need; having established a close working link with Free the Children, they are

7 During a visit to Allenby Primary, a Level 2 UNICEF Rights Respecting School, I commented to one of my guides, You know this stuff down to your bones. No, Miss, she replied passionately, we know it in our hearts! The whole Allenby school community is active in several charities such as Save the Children and Children in Need; having established a close working link with Free the Children, they are participating in a project to raise money to build a school in a less economically developed country. Humanists will be moved by their ideals and their sense of what is important to contribute to society in some way. As they tend to define themselves less by their philosophy than religious people do by their faith they are more likely to contribute to charities and events that are secular by nature (e.g. NSPCC). One example of a specifically humanist endeavour is the humanist schools project in Uganda. Foundation Beyond Belief is a non theistic charity which launched in January 2010; each 6

8 quarter it spotlights five charitable organizations and members can choose which of the featured causes to support. 6

Most of the material I ve mentioned so far is covered in the hand out, and are the points that you should emphasise in any discussion of humanism in RE.

But all three of them encapsulate experiences that I, as an atheist, find meaningful. The first of these is Vocation.

9 Most of the material I ve mentioned so far is covered in the hand out, and are the points that you should emphasise in any discussion of humanism in RE. I want to end this presentation by looking at three different concepts/words that are usually considered to belong to the realm of religion. But all three of them encapsulate experiences that I, as an atheist, find meaningful. The first of these is Vocation. Wikipedia says: A vocation (from Latin vocātiō, meaning a call, summons ) is an occupation to which a person is specially drawn or for which they are suited, trained, or qualified (hence vocational training). Though now often used in non religious contexts, the meanings of the term originated in Christianity, where one speaks of, for instance, being called to be a priest. Like Joss Whedon, the creator of the TV programme Buffy the Vampire Slayer, I have been fascinated by the concepts/experiences of vocation and devotion. The two go hand in hand, because when you experience a sense of vocation, any act that contributes to the fulfilling of that 7

10 vocation becomes a devotion. 7

Anyone who saw the wonderful Lord of the Rings films will know that it was Frodo s vocation to carry the One Ring back to Mordor in order to destroy it and liberate the world.

Sam s devotion reaches its climax in the scene pictured in the slide, but there were many points along the journey where he was tested, most painfully when he was rejected by Frodo.

11 Anyone who saw the wonderful Lord of the Rings films will know that it was Frodo s vocation to carry the One Ring back to Mordor in order to destroy it and liberate the world. Frodo was the Ring Bearer, but without the devotion of his Hobbit companion Sam the quest would never have been completed. Sam s devotion reaches its climax in the scene pictured in the slide, but there were many points along the journey where he was tested, most painfully when he was rejected by Frodo. But Sam s devotion was such that he and Frodo prevailed in the end. Stories such as these convey powerful and inspiring lessons that appeal to everyone, just as do many stories imbedded in religious tradition. These stories are as Sushma might say open source. In an IT context, open source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available for redistribution and modification. It is important for us to both understand and in many cases accept that this should be true of the wisdom that has come 8

12 down to us through the ages in a variety of colours and contexts. 8

Of the three words I wanted to talk about, faith has proved the most contentious. If you google it, the first definition you get is complete trust or confidence in someone or something.

Exploring the difference between faith and optimism I came to a website named The Kingdom of Heaven Ambassador.

13 Of the three words I wanted to talk about, faith has proved the most contentious. If you google it, the first definition you get is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. The religious definition comes second, i.e. strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof. Exploring the difference between faith and optimism I came to a website named The Kingdom of Heaven Ambassador. The creator of that website insisted: In darkening times, one major attack is on the principle of faith. Faith is not optimism or hope. Faith is appropriated by works! On the other side of the divide, the Guardian writer Peter Thompson, a self professed atheist, says that: any movement that seeks social change and improvement is a faith based one. It has to be, otherwise there would be no reason to hope for something better. Personally, I get really annoyed when I see references to faith and no faith. The irony is that people only say this when their heart is in the right place, i.e. they are attempting to be inclusive. But it is still a move by the religious community or someone within that community to stake sole claim for this potently optimistic word. For me faith is a dimension of being, the felt absence or presence of which can happen to everyone. In some religious traditions, the absence is called the dark night of the soul, an apt turn of phrase to which most non religious people can also relate. 9

live in order to achieve eternal happiness. If there is no life after death, we must seek happiness in the one life we have and come to terms with

1 If there is life after death, most religions tell us how to live in order to achieve eternal happiness. If there is no life after death, we must seek happiness in the one life we have and come to terms