1. Life as a journey.

2. Rites of passageCeremonies which celebrate transitions e.g. birth, adolescence, marriage and death, birth, adolescence, marriage

3. Death as the final rite – meaning and purpose

4. Comparisons of death with other faiths

5. Response of faith to life & death issues

6. Understanding commitment through rites.

Humanists may see life as a metaphorical journey, from youth to maturity, from ignorance to understanding, from aspiration and hope to fulfilment, but the journey is not a central concept or metaphor in 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. (despite some critics seeing Humanism as embracing a naïve belief in human progress).

Humanists recognise the human need for rituals to mark the important stages of life. There are humanist ceremonies to celebrate birth and marriage (and same-sex civil partnerships) and in some countries, though not the UK, the arrival of adulthood. Humanist ceremonies are tailor-made for the people involved, and may involve readings, music, poetry as well as statements from those most closely involved and, possibly, a humanist officiant or celebrantThe name given to someone trained and qualified to conduct (or celebrate) humanist baby-namings, weddings, civil partnerships and funerals. Also called an “officiant”.. They will not include hymns, worshipThe offering of praise and reverence to God via a religious service or prayer, though they may include time for quiet reflection or prayer for those who wish. They may also include traditional symbols such as flowers and rings.

Humanist baby-namings or welcomings can take place anywhere, and are usually fairly informal occasions, in which family and friends welcome the new arrival and express their hopes and promises, in words such as: "We promise to use all our wisdom, patience and love to help you to fulfil yourself and help others throughout your life." They may invite a friend to be the baby's mentor or involve other children in the family in the ceremony.

Humanist weddings or same-sex partnership ceremonies may be indoors or outdoors, formal or informal, traditional or very individual in style. The important thing is for the ceremony to suit the couple and add something personal, particularly the couple's own readings and vowsPromises made usually in the context of religion, to the necessary legal civil ceremony.

Humanists do not believe in an afterlife, and so humanist funerals look back rather than forward, celebrating the life of the deceased as well as offering an opportunity to grieve and say farewell. There will be no suggestion of life after death. A humanist celebrant may lead the funeral and offer guidance and suggestions to ensure that it reflects the beliefs, culture and personality, as well as the life and achievements, of the deceased.

If humanists find any meaning in death, it will be in reflecting on a life well lived and on transience: as Marcus Aurelius put it in his Meditations (121 - 80 CE), "Nature's law is that everything changes and passes, so that, in due course, other things may come to exist."

The main difference between the humanist attitude to death and that of most religious believers is in the absence of belief in life after death. The only way we can possibly live on, humanists believe, is in the achievements and memories and children we may leave behind us - an extra incentive to live a good life. Belief in death's finality is not necessarily gloomy: "Death is nothing to us: for after our bodies have been dissolved by death they are without sensation, and that which lacks sensation is nothing to us," said Epicurus, in Principal Doctrines, c.300 BCE, and most humanists agree.

Humanist adopt a similarly rational attitude to life and death issues such as abortion and voluntary euthanasia. Life may be very precious but it is not "sacred" or "GodWord used to describe a personal transcendent Being-given" for a humanist and there can be good reasons to end it. AutonomyPersonal freedom, the freedom to make decisions about, and take responsibility for, one's own life, an important element of Humanism., the power to make decisions about one's own life, is very important to humanists, and they do not, for example, believe in causing or prolonging sufferingThe universal condition of humankind, partly caused by the impermanence of all things unnecessarily.

Humanists, in their ceremonies, are usually expressing a commitment to another person, as well as a public commitment to humanist beliefs and values.

Websites

http://http://www.sidmennt.is/english/ - the website of the Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association, where you can read about their civil confirmation programme

http://www.human.no/templates/Page____2079.aspx - page on rites of passage on the website of the Norwegian Humanist Association. Here you can read about the "Humanist confirmations", celebrated in Norway at the age of 15.

http://www.humanism.org.uk - for information about humanist ceremonies

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk

http://www.humanismforschools.org.uk/humanist-perspective.php for links to briefings on: "Celebrations and Ceremonies"; "Death and other big questions"; "Religious festivals and ceremonies"; "Voluntary Euthanasia"; "Abortion".

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

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

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 atheistAtheism is a disbelief in the existence of deities, the opposite of theism. Atheism may include or lead to other beliefs or disbeliefs (e g disbelief in the supernatural), but not necessarily. Atheists are people who do not believe in gods. Humanism today is usually atheistic, but not just atheistic, and some humanists like to call themselves “positive atheists”. 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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