18AR23-30

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AR 23:30 - 'Young nones are getting the least out of religion'

In this issue:

ATHEISM - a sympathetic historical survey of social and political status up to the present

+ "millennial nones, are not abandoning religion to become secular, science-loving humanists" - they opt for "magical thinking" instead

INTERFAITH DIALOG - a recent anthology explores the emerging field of interreligious/interfaith studies

ISLAM - new commentary on how the Qur'an is "intrinsically connected" with the Bible

Apologia Report 23:30 (1,396)

September 19, 2018

ATHEISM

Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic: Atheists in American Public Life, by Isaac Kramnick and R. Laurence Moore [1] -- the promo would have you know that "Nonbelievers have often had second-class legal status and have had to fight for their rights as citizens. ... Moore and Kramnick lay out this fascinating history and the legal cases that have questioned religious supremacy. It took until 1961 for the Supreme Court to ban religious tests for state officials, despite Article 6 of the Constitution. Still, every one of the fifty states continues to have God in its constitution. The authors discuss these cases and more current ones.... [T]he authors also explore the dramatic rise of an 'atheist awakening' and the role of organizations intent on holding the country to the secular principles it was founded upon."

Kirkus (Jun 15 '18) calls this "A survey of the social and political status of atheists in 21st-century America. As Moore (Emeritus, American Studies and History/Cornell Univ.) and Kramnick (Emeritus, Government/Cornell Univ.) ... define it, atheism sweeps wide and includes deists, agnostics, and secular humanists, comprising perhaps 20 percent of the U.S. population. The authors demonstrate at length that atheists in America - a country whose colonies were founded largely along religious lines - have historically suffered not just public scorn, but also prosecutions for blasphemy and such legal impediments as being denied the right to testify in court or to serve in public office. They provide concise but thorough summaries of judicial arguments and opinions that have justified striking down the most overtly discriminatory laws but leave in place less intrusive practices like prayer at public events. The authors further assert that private opinions disfavoring atheism nevertheless remain influential and that large majorities assume that 'to be irreligious is to be "un-American,"' an attitude actively encouraged during the Cold War. Various organizations of the current supposed 'Atheist Awakening' are intent on remedying that through advertising, political activism, and largely unsuccessful legal assaults on remaining vestiges of religious observance and expression in government. Moore and Kramnick map the edges of conflict over the uneasy balance between atheists' rights not to be coerced into insincere professions of belief and believers' rights to express a conviction that religion is a fundamental bedrock of civil society. While supportive of the atheists' cause, their work is not as polemical as that of some of their colleagues; they are content to set out the issues atheist activists are now pressing. Some of these will likely strike readers as frivolous or as quixotic attempts to drive religion entirely from the public square, something no American government at any level has ever committed to doing. An impassioned review of the demands of a little-considered minority."

"Religiously unaffiliated 'nones' are pursuing spirituality, but not community" by Stephen Asma, <www.bit.ly/2QzkZt6> a professor of philosophy at Columbia College Chicago -- finds that "In the 1980s, only 10% of Americans said that they had no religious affiliation. Three decades later, more than 23% of Americans describe themselves as nonreligious, according to the Pew Research Center. This growing group is referred to as the 'nones,' meaning those whose religious affiliation is 'none.' ...

"But contrary to the hopes of neo-Enlightenment thinkers like Steven Pinker, millennial nones are not abandoning organized religion to become secular, science-loving humanists. Rather, they are turning toward more individual forms of spiritualism, including yoga, meditation, healing stones, Wiccan spell casting and astrology. ...

"Young nones, in other words, are adopting one of the least helpful aspects of organized religion (magical thinking) while abandoning one of the most beneficial (social bonding).

According to a number of studies and surveys, religious people tend to be happier, have better health, stay married, live longer and commit less crime. In recent years, a growing body of research has suggested that organized religion reduces the risk of depression. ...

"Today's young nones, immersed in their online lives, may feel as though they are very connected. But as many are collectively realizing, online connections are weaker than advertised. We may have many aquaintances within digital reach, but numerous online relationships are no substitute for deep, real-life friendships. Similarly, a wave of spirituality apps promises to supercharge your mindfulness and positive thinking. Although beneficial, app spirituality, too, leads to a solitary practice. ...

"What nones are pursuing, eudaimonia, comes only when you stop chasing it and start serving others through communal action. Religion figured this out a long time ago." Los Angeles Times, Jun 7 '18 <www.lat.ms/2xmiu4y>

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INTERFAITH DIALOG

Interreligious/Interfaith Studies: Defining a New Field, Eboo Patel, ed. [2] -- promoted as "A groundbreaking academic anthology that explores the emerging field of interreligious/interfaith studies As it is now backed by an impressive number of courses, academic programs and centers, faculty positions, journals and publications, funding, and professional partnerships, there is no longer a question as to whether the interreligious/interfaith field exists. But its meaning and import are still being debated. How is this field distinct from, yet similar to, other fields, such as religious or theological studies? What are its signature pedagogies and methodologies? What are its motivations and key questions? In other words, what is the shape of interfaith and interreligious studies, and what is its distinct contribution? These questions are the driving force behind this anthology."

Publishers Weekly (Jun 25 '18) explains: "Interfaith Youth Core <ifyc.org> president Patel coedits with Jennifer Howe Peace, member of the American Academy of Religion, and Noah J. Silverman, director of Interfaith Youth Core, this definitive collection of essays in the budding academic field.... Eighteen scholars and practitioners in the interfaith community, including staff at Interfaith Youth Core and the Harvard Pluralism Project, contribute essays on a variety of religious topics; some focus on secular teachers leading interfaith courses in public institutions, while others consider the perspective of a religious teacher or scholar. Elon professor Amy L. Allocco reminds readers that "studying dynamics of political power is essential for understanding the encounters between different communities" and therefore to interfaith studies. One particularly helpful essay, from Shenandoah University professor Kevin Minister, provides strategies for introducing interreligious studies into the classroom. Though the book will be most valuable as part of religion coursework, practical activities for interfaith activists and teachers - such as role-playing, service learning, and internship suggestions - are also included. This is a powerful and essential tool for incorporating interfaith studies into a variety of settings."

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ISLAM

The Qur'an and the Bible: Text and Commentary, by Gabriel Said Reynolds [3] -- from the publisher: "Reynolds draws on centuries of Qur'ānic and Biblical studies to offer rigorous and revelatory commentary on how these holy books are intrinsically connected. Reynolds demonstrates how Jewish and Christian characters, imagery, and literary devices feature prominently in the Qur'ān, including stories of angels bowing before Adam and of Jesus speaking as an infant. This important contribution to religious studies features a full translation of the Qur'ān along with excerpts from the Jewish and Christian texts. It offers a clear analysis of the debates within the communities of religious scholars concerning the relationship of these scriptures, providing a new lens through which to view the powerful links that bond these three major religions."

From Library Journal (Jun 15 '18) we learn: "When reading the Qur'an, one recognizes that certain sutras seem similar to passages found in the Hebrew Scriptures and the New Testament. However, it is not readily apparent what the exact relationship there is between the Qur'an and the other sacred writings. Reynolds (Islamic studies & theology, Univ. of Notre Dame) argues that the influence of significant Jewish and Christian literature, primarily the Bible but also other significant writings (e.g., the Mishnah, the Talmud), impacted the Qur'an in such a way that one cannot fully understand the latter without giving significant attention to the former. Biblical characters, imagery, stories, and literary techniques, available through oral tradition, permeate major portions of the Qur'an. Reynolds supports his thesis by creating a helpful volume that contains both the complete text of the Qur'an along with commentary on passages in the sutras that illustrate the influence of other religious traditions. VERDICT Highly recommended...."

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SOURCES: Monographs

1 - Godless Citizens in a Godly Republic: Atheists in American Public Life, by Isaac Kramnick and R. Laurence Moore (W. W. Norton, 2018, hardcover, 256 pages) <www.amzn.to/2Oqbk6z>

2 - Interreligious/Interfaith Studies: Defining a New Field, Eboo Patel, ed. (Beacon, 2018, paperback, 288 pages) <www.amzn.to/2MyEP4k>

3 - The Qur'an and the Bible: Text and Commentary, by Gabriel Said Reynolds (Yale Univ Prs, 2018, hardcover, 1032 pages) <www.amzn.to/2NQM6B8>

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