Episode 12 discussed the status of Jesus’ teachings in today’s secular world. This episode details the rise of modern secularism and its denial of both religion and a religious based morality.

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Transcript

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The Future of the Teachings of Jesus 

2. The Rise of Secularism

The Denial of True Religion and a God Ordained Morality (Ep. 13)

 

Secularism defined. Websters New Third International dictionary defines secular as “of or relating to the worldly or temporal as distinguished from the spiritual or eternal.”  It defines secularism as, “any view of life or of any particular matter based on the premise that religion and religious considerations should be ignored or purposely excluded.” Secularism also refers to “a system of social ethics based upon a doctrine that ethical standards and conduct should be determined exclusively with reference to the present life and social well-being without reference to religion.”

The rise of secularism. From these definitions it is obvious that an exclusive secularism is incompatible with true religion and the teachings of Jesus. How did secularism which, in its militant form, directly opposes and seeks to eliminate religious teachings, come to dominate the Western world? Modern secularism had its inception as a rising protest against the almost total control of life by medieval ecclesiastical authority. The other great cause of modern secularism was the narrow-minded and godless attitude of nineteenth and twentieth century science­–atheistic science. For well over three hundred years Western thinking has become increasingly secularized. Today the prevailing climate of both European and American thought is decidedly secular. Even many supposed followers of Jesus are unwittingly actual secularists. They may espouse a belief in religion, but their actual lives are lived as secular humanists who give little or no thought to God and the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus’ attitude towards secularism. Secularism is not evil in itself except in its extreme form where it opposes and seeks to destroy genuine religion. Jesus recognized the validity of both the secular and the spiritual aspects of life but insisted that the secular must not conflict with the practice of true religion. For example, he instructed his followers to “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.” (Mk 12:17)

Positive aspects of secularism. Secularism in its proper place serves a positive function in human society. Just as we recognize the reality of both material things and spiritual values we also recognize the validity of both the secular and the religious departments of life. And it should be observed that secularism has contributed much to modern life. It was the secular revolt against the totalitarian control of life by the dictates of medieval ecclesiastical powers that brought us many modern liberties and satisfactions. It has also been a major factor in the amazing creativity of American industry and the unprecedented material progress of Western civilization. It has brought us such blessings as tolerance, social service, democratic government, and civil liberties.

The effort of extreme secularists to eliminate religion in society. The great modern problem we face is that the secular revolt went too far. After successfully revolting against the total control of life by ecclesiastical rule secularism went on to institute a revolt against God himself. In the past secularism simply ignored God but in modern times it seeks to completely eliminate religious thought and action from the public square. It places its exclusive trust in science and denies religion because it is based on spiritual faith rather than material science. Modern secularism emphasizes the false and superstitious elements found in historical religions while ignoring or denying the many inspired and revealed truths they contain.

For many secularism has become their new religion. Committed secularists oppose any religious element in society; their goal is to replace religion with an all-embracing secular outlook. They seek to destroy religious institutions and teachings as a prerequisite to the creation a totally secular society. Indeed, for many the philosophy of secularism has become their religion, their religious ideology which demands unthinking devotion and enmity towards all religious thought and action. In the pursuit of their goal to replace religion with their “more enlightened” materialistic secularism they feel justified in resorting to immoral means to achieve their supposedly superior moral goal.

Nietzsche’s recognition and forecast of our modern problem. In the !880’s the philosopher Nietzsche amazingly foresaw and described core elements of our modern problem. He was the son of a Lutheran pastor and early on studied theology to become a minister. However, he not only lost his faith in God, but also observed that this loss of faith was characteristic of most European believers. He famously proclaimed that “God is dead.” And for the individual who has lost his faith in God it is true that God is dead.

Secularism’s new human-based morality: the ends justify the means. Nietzsche further realized that without faith in God we have no transcendent moral authority on which to base our behavior. This leaves us rudderless in an ever-changing world, without the moral guidance that an authoritative moral law would provide. Without a morality predicated on spiritual realities modern society is left to invent its own human morality. This has led to the moral relativism affirmed and practiced by modern secularists. They are left free to believe whatever they choose, such as the material world is all that exists, and the doctrine that “the ends justify the means,” that it is ok to use immoral means in the furtherance of their concept of the “greater good.” This contrasts with the Jesus’ teaching that that calls for us to use moral means to attain moral ends.

Unforeseen problems of the adoption of secularism.  This domination of Western life by a militant secularism that seeks to destroy true religion and the righteous living directed by a God ordained morality brings with it many unforeseen problems. We must clearly recognize these problems if we are to face and overcome the modern secular threats to society and civilization itself. What are the results of society’s turn from faith in God and our Judeo-Christian heritage to their replacement by an all-embracing secular outlook and approach to living?

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