English Secularism

George J. Holyoake (1817 - 1905)

What is Secularism?

"Secularism espouses the cause of the world versus theology; of the secular and temporal versus the sacred and ecclesiastical. Secularism claims that religion ought never to be anything but a private affair; it denies the right of any kind of church to be associated with the public life of a nation, and proposes to supersede the official influence which religious institutions still exercise in both hemispheres."

George Holyoake was an English freethinker and one of the last persons in England to be convicted and jailed for blasphemy. He coined the term "secularism" while being an editor for the secularist newspaper "The Reasoner". (Summary by Ava)

Genre(s): Atheism & Agnosticism

Language: English

Section Chapter Reader Time
Play 00 Author's Preface and Publisher's Preface Shaef
00:16:21
Play 01 Open Thought the First Step to Intelligence J. M. Smallheer
00:05:39
Play 02 The Question Stated GhostCat
00:06:10
Play 03 The First Stage of Free Thought: Its Nature and Limitation J. M. Smallheer
00:11:51
Play 04 The Second Stage of Free Thought: Enterprise J. M. Smallheer
00:07:43
Play 05 Conquests of Investigation Availle
00:09:39
Play 06 Stationariness of Criticism Paul Lawley-Jones
00:10:38
Play 07 Third Stage of Free Thought: Secularism J. M. Smallheer
00:06:05
Play 08 Three Principles Vindicated Richa Jain
00:11:12
Play 09 How Secularism Arose Availle
00:09:00
Play 10 How Secularism Was Diffused Availle
00:09:08
Play 11 Secular Instruction Distinct From Secularism Richa Jain
00:06:35
Play 12 The Distinctiveness Made Further Evident Richa Jain
00:10:31
Play 13 Self-Defensive For The People Richa Jain
00:09:04
Play 14 Rejected Tenets Replaced By Better Richa Jain
00:08:34
Play 15 Morality Independent of Theology Richa Jain
00:13:51
Play 16 Ethical Certitude Ryan Fahey
00:09:12
Play 17 The Ethical Method of Controversy Ryan Fahey
00:07:31
Play 18 Its Discrimination Ryan Fahey
00:06:40
Play 19 Apart From Christianism Ryan Fahey
00:08:35
Play 20 Secularism Creates a New Responsibility Ryan Fahey
00:08:13
Play 21 Through Opposition To Recognition Richa Jain
00:12:02
Play 22 Self-Extending Principles Richa Jain
00:15:58
Play 23 Secularist Ceremonies Richa Jain
00:28:31