At the start of each meeting of the Bideford Council in England a guest minister of religion led the council members in saying prayers. This practice had occurred for many years but in January 2008 Mr Bone, a newly elected councillor, objected to it. Mr Bone was not Christian and he did not want to be involved with this religious practice. After various unsuccessful attempts … [Read more...] about Religion is not Dead – and Neither is Secularism
Secular
Book Review: Secularism or Democracy? by Veit Bader
This is a comprehensive book that explores issues of religion and state such as what role should religions have vis-a-vis the state, the role of secularism in government and society and how the state can deal fairly with the various religions. The author, Veit Bader, is an emeritus professor of sociology and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. This is an academically … [Read more...] about Book Review: Secularism or Democracy? by Veit Bader
The Transformation of a Word
We all know that the meaning of words can change over time. Words such as gay and cool are used in ways not contemplated one hundred years ago. Historians need to be aware of this when reading old texts. In my research of the education debates in the Australasian colonies from the 1860s to 1914, I had to understand what the word 'secular' meant at the time. It is much more … [Read more...] about The Transformation of a Word
