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In his panel presentation yesterday, Dr. Thomas Burke, Dean of the Humanities at Hillsdale College, argued that “Pluralism, not Secularism, will be the way of the future.”
The “secularization thesis” claims that religion will slowly lose all of its influence in public life. Against this idea, Dr. Burke argued three points.
First, it is not likely that the faithful will give up the faith. Christians hold on to their beliefs, even when constantly bombarded by secularists and the outspoken foes of religion.
Second, Secularism is a depressing alternative. Dr. Burke acknowledged the dark side of Christianity, but claimed that secularism is more depressing. “Yes, they burned their witches. We all have our bad days,” he joked. But he went on to mention the 20th Century record of Secularism: Fascism, Nazism and Communism.
Third, Secularism cannot give people a reason to live joyfully.
Dr. Burke argued that Secularism is a religion. He quoted Paul Tilloch, who said that every human has “an ultimate concern.” You cannot live a human life without a faith.
Burke sees Secularism as a “form of impersonal pantheism,” like the philosophy espoused by Spinoza. In this view, all nature is god-like, but does not have any kind of relationship with men. The design of chance, revealed in evolution, hints at an atheistic mysticism. Burke finds the “quasi-religious odes to Einstein” as proof that secularists have enshrined Einstein as a saint in their pantheon.
When comparing this faith with Orthodox Christianity, as expressed in the creeds, Dr. Burke finds it wanting. According to one faith, “the universe was created by a tri-person God whose nature is love,” men can have a personal relationship with God, and they join an everlasting community when they die. The other faith declares that this world is a cosmological accident, that there is “no one looking out for us,” and that we can never overcome death, when each of our personhoods will cease.
The “secularization thesis” claims that religion will slowly lose all of its influence in public life. Against this idea, Dr. Burke argued three points.
First, it is not likely that the faithful will give up the faith. Christians hold on to their beliefs, even when constantly bombarded by secularists and the outspoken foes of religion.
Second, Secularism is a depressing alternative. Dr. Burke acknowledged the dark side of Christianity, but claimed that secularism is more depressing. “Yes, they burned their witches. We all have our bad days,” he joked. But he went on to mention the 20th Century record of Secularism: Fascism, Nazism and Communism.
Third, Secularism cannot give people a reason to live joyfully.
Dr. Burke argued that Secularism is a religion. He quoted Paul Tilloch, who said that every human has “an ultimate concern.” You cannot live a human life without a faith.
Burke sees Secularism as a “form of impersonal pantheism,” like the philosophy espoused by Spinoza. In this view, all nature is god-like, but does not have any kind of relationship with men. The design of chance, revealed in evolution, hints at an atheistic mysticism. Burke finds the “quasi-religious odes to Einstein” as proof that secularists have enshrined Einstein as a saint in their pantheon.
When comparing this faith with Orthodox Christianity, as expressed in the creeds, Dr. Burke finds it wanting. According to one faith, “the universe was created by a tri-person God whose nature is love,” men can have a personal relationship with God, and they join an everlasting community when they die. The other faith declares that this world is a cosmological accident, that there is “no one looking out for us,” and that we can never overcome death, when each of our personhoods will cease.