1. What is the source & evidence for religious truth claims within the religion?

2. From where does the authority for leadership arise? ScriptureWord used to decribe sacred texts? Historical figure? Human figure? Tradition? SpiritualA word with many religious connotations, often used to describe a multiplicity of phenomena that would include inner, reflective or emotional experiences, and those aspects of life that give it meaning and depth or which are profoundly moving or aesthetic. ?

3. Means by which authority is expressed in practice? Position of scripture? Place of worshipThe offering of praise and reverence to God via a religious service ? Clothing? Attitudes in prayer etc?

4. Means by which authority relates to individuals, communities and the world.

5. How is the authority evaluated?

The truth claims of HumanismIn the 20th century Humanism came to mean a naturalistic worldview that includes a rejection of religious beliefs and the conviction that moral values are founded on human nature and experience alone; a humanist is someone who holds these beliefs. are largely to do with our understanding of the world and ethics (how we relate to and treat each other and the natural world, and why). The source and evidence for both sets of truth claims lie in human experience rather than in authority or tradition.

Humanists understand the world through observation and through reasoning and hypothesizing (not necessarily in that order), processes normally associated with scienceScience is really a process, based on scientific method, hypothesis, observation, testing and prediction. and not uniquely humanist, of course, though exclusive reliance on them does differentiate humanists from some religious believers.

The distinctive truth claims made by humanists are ethical: that our relationships and moral values are founded on human nature and experience alone and concern for others does not require an external source or authority.

Humanism has no authorities or leaders in the usual senses of these words, that is, individuals, texts or organisations that command obedience or universal respect. Individual humanists seek and find knowledge, wisdom and guidance from a variety of sources, but they choose for themselves how much weight to give these sources, judging them against their own experience and how applicable these ideas might be to their own lives and times.

For their understanding of the world, humanists will look to and respect the methods and findings of science; for their values and their understanding of other people, humanists might look to philosophers and writers, ancient and modern, testing their ideas against their own. The ultimate moral authority for a humanist will be not be a text or religious authority, but his or her own conscience, though this raises questions about what the conscience is and where its intuitions come from. Most humanists would locate the conscience in the mind, and the feelings of guilt or satisfaction associated with the conscience in our understanding of and empathy with other people.

Because there is no authority, there are no obligatory practices in Humanism which would express authority or respect for authority. Indeed, many humanists distrust authority and obedience per se and rely instead on reason and evidence.

Humanists acknowledge and accept the compromises and sharing and limitations on some freedoms that living alongside others entails. But they tend to be individualistic, in the sense of thinking for themselves and evaluating sources of knowledge and wisdom for themselves, though not in the sense being especially self-interested. One favourite maxim of Humanism is: "Think for yourself, act for others."

As a result, humanists love to argue, both amongst themselves and with religious believers! But often, despite their different and varied sources and influences, humanists share many moral values not just with each other but with religious people. Humanists attribute this to our most important values arising out of shared human nature and needs.

Humanists rarely, if ever, attain positions of authority or influence in society as a direct result of their Humanism, though humanist beliefs and values may well inform their choices of career and how they use authority and influence once achieved. But no individual humanist has authority over other humanists or can claim to represent them adequately in the public sphere. One reason for the development of humanist organisations around the world is to provide humanists with a public voice and representation to public authorities and governments.

Humanist organisations are democratic and egalitarian, usually run by representatives of their members and answerable to them as well as to institutions such as the Charity Commission in the UK. Their success is evaluated by members on grounds such as: Are they providing the services needed by members and the wider non-religious community? Are they responding to public affairs in the ways that members require? Are they recognised and respected as the public face of Humanism?

Websites

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/individualism - for a very thorough account of the various uses of the terms "individualist" and "individualism"

http://newhumanist.org.uk/1623 - critique of the "New Atheists" in New Humanist, November 2007, by humanist philosopher Richard Norman

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/programmes/thought/documents/t20071026.sht... - a Christian "Thought for the Day" by Rev Dr Alan Billings, on the values we all share

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/atheism/types/humanism.shtml - BBC's Religion and Ethics section's summary of Humanism

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/library-videos.php - for video clips on a range of humanist topics and themes.

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/teachingtoolkits/index.php for BHA's - Teaching Toolkits on a range of humanist topics and themes;

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/teachingtoolkits/toolkit4-teachingn... - Humanist Teaching Toolkit "How do you know it's true?"

http://www.iheu.org - the website of the International Humanist and Ethical Union, for links to other humanist organisations around the world

Bibliography

Aesop's Fables, ancient secular stories with strong moral (and practical) messages

Baggini, J., 2003. Atheism: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford Very Short Introductions). Oxford: OUP.

Blackburn, S., 2002. Being Good: A Short Introduction to Ethics. Oxford: Oxford Paperback.

Blackburn, S., 2006. Truth: A Guide for the Perplexed. London: Penguin.

Cicero, (tr. Grant, M.), 1979. On the Good Life. London: Penguin Classics.

Condon, R.J., 1974. Our Pagan Christmas. London: National Secular Society.

Dawkins, R., 1998. Unweaving the Rainbow. London: Allen Lane, Penguin Press.

Dawkins, R., 2006. The God Delusion. London: Bantam Press. (Dawkins believes that science and religion are incompatible, as does Dick Taverne (see below). Other humanists do not (see Richard Norman at http://newhumanist.org.uk/1623)

Fisher, R. 1996. Stories for Thinking. London: Nash Pollock Publishing. (useful classroom resources for KS1 and KS2)

Fisher, R. 1999. First Stories for Thinking. London, Nash Pollock Publishing.

Gould, S.J., 2002. Rocks of Ages: Science and Religion in the Fullness of Life. London: Ballantine Books.

Grayling, A.C., 2003. What is Good?. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson.

Herrick, J., 2005. Introduction to Humanism. London: Rationalist Association. (chapters "The Humanist Tradition" and "Organised Humanism")

Hinde, R., 1997. Religion and Darwinism. London: British Humanist Association.

Hobson, A. & Jenkins, N., 2000. Modern Humanism - Living Without Religion. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Holloway, R., 2004. Godless Morality. London: Canongate.

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2002. What is Humanism?. London: British Humanist Association.

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2004. Thinking about Death. London: British Humanist Association

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2005. Humanist Perspectives 1. London: British Humanist Association. (primary teachers, including sections on humanist beliefs, ethics, history and Humanism today.)

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2005. Humanist Perspectives 2. London: British Humanist Association. (Information and guidance on teaching about Humanism for secondary teachers, with concise versions of BHA's most popular ethical and philosophical briefings for students)

Humanist Philosophers' Group, 2007. The Case for Secularism. London: British Humanist Association. (pamphlet arguing that the liberal secular state, "a neutral state in an open society", is the best guarantee of religious equality and freedom for all. )

Inwood, B., & Gerson, L.P., (trans.), 1994. The Epicurus Reader. London: Hackett.

Knight, M. & Herrick, J. (eds.), 1961. Humanist Anthology. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Knight, M. & Herrick, J. (eds.), 2000. Humanist Anthology. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Law, S., 2007. The War for Children's Minds. London: Routledge. (a defence of the humane, liberal life against authoritarianism by a humanist philosopher. Law argues that children should learn about right and wrong and respect for others, but that their moral education should be grounded in the hard-won values of the Enlightenment.)

Lipman, M. & Stottlemeier, H., 1982. Discovery. London: Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children. (Stories for stimulating philosophical discussion in the primary class.)

Midgley, M., 2007. Intelligent Design Theory and other ideological problems (Impact pamphlet no. 15). London: Philosophy of Education Society of Great Britain.

Mill, J.S., 1863. Utiliarianism. London: Methuen.

Norman, R., 2004. On Humanism (Thinking in Action). London, Routledge.

Rogers, B., (ed.), 2004. Is Nothing Sacred?. London: Routledcge. (Chapter 11 Richard Dawkins "The Sacred and the Scientist".)

Russell, B., 1927. Why I Am Not a Christian: And Other Essays on Religion and Related Subjects. London: Routledge Classics. (See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_I_Am_Not_a_Christian)

Sagan, C., 1997. Billions and Billions. London: Headline. (Chapter 19 "In the Valley of the Shadow" - an atheist scientist faces illness and death.)

Taverne, D., 2007. Are Religion and Science Compatible?. London: British Humanist Association.

Walter, N., 1997. Humanism: What's in the Word?. London: Rationalist Press Association.

Warburton, N. 2004. Philosophy: The Basics. London: Routledge Paperback.

Wilson, E.O., 2006. The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth. London: W W Norton. (A humanist scientist proposes an alliance between science and religion to save Earth's vanishing biodiversity.)

Wynne Willson, J. & Ashby, R., n.d. New Arrivals. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious baby naming and welcoming ceremonies.)

Wynne Willson, J., n.d. Funerals Without God. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious funerals)

Wynne Willson, J., n.d. Sharing the Future. London: British Humanist Association. (a practical guide to humanist and non-religious weddings, affirmations and civil ceremonies.)

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