Religion without a church? Humanism almost qualifies [View all]

Andrew Brown

The World Humanist Conference in Oxford at the weekend struck me as a completely religious gathering, even though it is predicated on atheism. If it hadn’t been for the words of the sermons, we might have been at any Protestant missionary society.

Part of this was the architecture. The old parts of Oxford University date from the time when there was no clear distinction between religion and society, and most of them now have a faintly sacerdotal air. Part of it was the people: lots of beards, formidable middle-aged women and younger gay men. Everyone was united and sharing in a sense of relief at being in a safe space where what was important to them was no longer strange or dangerous. But there was much more than that. We heard un-sermons, listened to choirs singing un-hymns, and applauded un-mission partners whose heroism and suffering were an inspiration to those of us in comfortable England.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/12/religion-humanism-atheism