Acknowledging the secular background of some pupils

The Department for Education and Skills has stressed¹ that RE should provide pupils with the opportunity to explore moral and spiritual values, and that RE should play its part in helping them to understand society's expectations concerning behaviour and attitudes². If this is to be fulfilled in a just and balanced manner, then the content of the RE curriculum should reflect the true nature of our society and the range of responsible commitments and values found within it. This is consistent with the sub- title of this Syllabus - 'A study of the nature of beliefs and values in a plural society'.

Many people in British society lead good, moral lives and have a responsible outlook or 'world view' without a belief in God or the supernatural. Most of these people do not use a particular 'label' to describe their views or philosophy, but clearly, to give a balanced picture of beliefs and values in our society, their views must be represented. However, such views would match some of the important criteria stressed by Humanists and, therefore, such secular, ethical views are broadly referred to as Humanism within this syllabus. Generally, Humanism, or more correctly 'secular Humanism' has been used to represent a secular view of life, though we acknowledge that not all secularists subscribe to Humanist ethical views. Those who actually describe themselves as Humanists are relatively few and often have an academic background, but they claim that they are in fact making clear some of the underlying assumptions of modern secular living.

secular wedding

There is no official Humanist creed or body of dogma. Some humanists have tried to set down clearly what most of them have in common. One obvious distinct view is that they are agnostic about God (i.e. neither the existence nor the absence of God can be proved) and the supernatural; they live as atheists (i.e. without God). However, if this was the only criterion for being a Humanist then this would include people such as Stalin and Pol Pot. In fact, Humanists reject such people on the grounds that they act ruthlessly in accordance with a fixed and absolute set of ideas, whereas Humanists place great ethical value on doubt, uncertainty and willingness to listen and to reconsider in the light of experience.

The name Humanist itself identifies something distinctive that Humanists share. They stress that the only possible things human beings have to guide them are their human abilities and qualities, in particular the combination of human reason, with human imaginative ability and human sensitivity to the feelings of other people. They stress that this is all human beings have to guide them. Being agnostic about god or the supernatural, they therefore feel that such ideas cannot be of much use to them.

Symbol of the British Humanist Association

Humanism is not a religion. Humanists are not a religious community, though some do meet to share ideas or to celebrate significant events such as a funeral. They do not have sources of authority, such as sacred books and sacred figures. Neither do they have special buildings within which to meet. Since it is not a religion, its place in RE cannot be as a comparison of different religions. Humanism does not relate to Christianity in the same way that Islam or Judaism does; i.e. as an alternative set of doctrines, ritual practices and moral attitudes. It is, therefore, not studied in this syllabus in relation to G03, but it is included in relation to G0s 1, 2 and 4.

The emphasis on rational thinking and reasoning, the recognition of human qualities and the importance of moral behaviour are not the province of secular humanists alone. Such ideas and qualities are also shared by many people who have a religious faith. In religions such as Christianity and Judaism, there can be found traditions which also strongly emphasise the importance of reason and rational thinking and which could be described as religious humanism.

Other pages within the website explore some of the ideas and beliefs of secular Humanists and indicate what is appropriate to include at each stage of the RE course.  (c.f. Humanism)

Footnotes

1 - Pronouncement by the Secretary of State for Education 5 March 1993.

2 - "Religious Education concerns the development of children's knowledge, understanding and awareness of religious beliefs and practices, the encouragement of respect for those holding different beliefs, and the development of the ability to make reasoned and informed judgements about religious and moral issues. Since humanism is not a religion, however, it should not be taught in religious education lessons as if it were. Nonetheless, it is perfectly possible for RE to include teaching about non-theistic ways of life, such as humanism, and the moral values associated with them.' Contained in letter from Gillian Shephard, Secretary of State for Education to Professor Sir Hermann Bondi, 16August, 1994.

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