Secular roots

Secular roots

Tom Holland's claim (NS Essay, 13 October) that secularism has its roots in Christianity, brought rebuttals from a humanist standpoint. Philip Lockley (Letters, 3 November) objects that humanism is not secularism, and I agree. Humanism is a branch of philosophy and secularism is concern for worldly rather than religious affairs.

The correspondence is about the roots of secularism in non-secular beliefs. Non-secular beliefs include the whole field of philosophy and ethics, atheism as well as theism, and humanism as well as Christianity. The authority of the Christian church lies theoretically on revelation and sacred texts. However, in practice its ministry and congregations are all individuals participating with others in discussions of everyday affairs in the media. Secular affairs are more directly determined by legislation in a democratically elected parliament. Thus, changes in current opinion are the true roots of secularism and also of the progressive movement in Christianity towards more liberal views.

Brian Lewis

It seems to be European secularism only that Philip Lockley claims is "derived from Christianity". Presumably the separation of religion and state in, for example, ancient India or modern Japan is allowed to have different origins?

The separation of religion and state is by definition based on religion, and in particular the break-up of monolithic faiths. Such claims on secularism are matters of history rather than meaningful ownership of ideas and this "secularism is Christian" red herring is just yet another malodorous and pointless wet fish with which to slap our smug "new atheist" faces.

Peter McKenna

Liverpool Humanist Group