Did modern secularism emerge from religious impulses rather than their collapse?
In short: Explore how the roots of our secular age may actually lie in religious traditions. This lecture examines the intellectual legacy of the Renaissance and how religious impulses shaped modern humanism.
Professor Alec Ryrie, the Gresham Professor of Divinity, tracks the evolution of secularism from the Renaissance to the present. He argues that religion did not simply collapse intellectually; instead, religious impulses—such as the quest for deep truths and the defiance of unwelcome moral authority—have shaped a profoundly secular ethic.
The lecture traces this legacy through figures and movements including Tom Paine, Bakunin, modern humanism, and anti-Nazism, suggesting that our modern way of judging institutions by their own standards is deeply rooted in religious history.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Jesus, Hitler and the Abolition of God
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/ideas-jesus-hitler-and-the-abolition-of-god.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
