What the thing is
Secular humanism is a non-theistic life stance. It grounds morality in reason, ethics, and naturalism. It rejects supernaturalism, dogma, and uncritical faith.
Where it came from
The phrase appeared in Anglican discourse from the 1930s. The Archbishop of Canterbury warned against it in 1943. It gained organisational form in the US with A Secular Humanist Declaration in 1980.
What it gets right
It insists ethics need no deity. It demands critical scrutiny of all ideologies. It treats truth as provisional and science-led.
What it gets wrong
It misnames itself: many adherents reject ‘secular’ as redundant or misleading. It is framed by opponents more than it frames itself.
Why it matters now
Because ‘secular humanism’ is still used as a political shorthand—often by the religious right—to discredit secular ethics, even though most who hold those views don’t use the label.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you’re weighing claims about morality, truth, or ideology in public life. No—if you expect a unified movement, global doctrine, or settled philosophy.
