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SECULARISATION DISCUSSION POINTS - Coggle Diagram
SECULARISATION DISCUSSION POINTS
IS CHRISTINAITY A MAJOR CAUSE OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS?
ACCUSATIONS
holds society back in scientific advancements/discoveries on topics eg the soul
Christianity has tried to gain supremacy over other religions
some ethical stances on eg abortion/homosexuality do not correspond with modern, secular approaches
Christianity is oppressive and patriarchal
promotes beliefs which hold people back from reality eg life after death
Christians place their trust in an outdated Bible which seems to condone rape and slavery
some Christian evangelists promote belief for money- this is also an invasion of freedom to religion/atheism
RESPONSES
the church has given lots of good to the world through education, food banks, helping the poor, supporting civil rights movements as they're called to challenge injustice and work for the good of society
possible to challenge some concerns about Christian ethics by asking whether something becomes right if society begins to accept it- eg if the majority began to accept torture, would that make it right?
Christians emphasise the idea of community that is always seeking the ideal way to live eg love based on Jesus' teachings
DOES CHRISTIANITY CONTRIBUTE TO SOCIETYS CULTURE AND VALUES?
YES
Britain would not be the country it is today without Christianity
our artistic heritage eg art, literature, music is somewhat owed to Christianity
Christianity can contribute without being dominant in the conversation
Christian ethics on a human level are ethics that apply to all eg 'do not kill'
NO
Britain today is much more multi-cultural than 50years ago
there is a wonderful heritage in non-Christian artistic cultures
all religious voiced need to be muted to move forward in society
ethics doesnt need to be distinctively Christian
DAWKINS
influence/contribution of Christianity to British society shouldnt be ignored
doesnt think Christianity should act as a driving force in shaping society- we need to move beyond religious ideals
praised the legacy of King James Bible
ARE SPIRITUAL VALUES JUST HUMAN VALUES?
2002 Amsterdam Declaration included 7 core values many religious believers would identify as spiritual values
ethics, rationality, human rights, social responsibility, fulfilment, creativity
10 commandments have many core ethical demands that are universal eg do not kill
upholding sanctity of life + love your enemies makes Christianity distinctive as this isnt shared on a universal basis or eg humanists
many Christians would argue human values tend to be shared on a worldly level but contain spiritual elements or ultimate person/reason and eternity with God
difficult to achieve a complete sense of what a list of human values might look like when considering the diversity of people around the world
ARE SECULARISM AND SECULARISATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHRISTIANITY?
over the course of history Christianity has had to adapt to different ways of thinking- this change is occurring again at an increased speed
it is now more important than ever for Christians to stand up for the truth revealed through Christ and the Bible and resist this change
if Christianity is muted then this might lead to less people being inspired by God or affects less lives
opportunity to see why society is attracted to this change and to try look for opportunities for evangelism or education about Christianity
modern Christians to be inspired by early Christian communities who were once the minority
placing capitalism, materialism or science at the centre of life undermines the purpose of life understood through Christianity
removing Christian influence may make individuals more tolerant towards non-Christian members eg having an elected House of Lords would be more democratic
removing religious representation in governments means there's less safeguarding against immoral acts