Laïcité and atheism in France
Laïcité and atheism in France
Atheists were among the most militant supporters of laïcité in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They saw it as a means for curtailing the traditional power of the Catholic Church in French society. However, in recent years, the main religious groupings have come to the defence of laïcité as a protection for religious freedom. This article traces the changing relationship between atheism and laïcité in its different forms. It identifies the main groups that advocate both principles, and examines the work of recent secular thinkers who seek to offer an alternative ethical position and even an alternative spirituality. It argues that while some atheist groups still see laïcité as a crucial weapon in the battle against religious power, the leading atheist intellectuals are focusing instead on the personal beliefs and values of citizens, and are offering new perspectives on religion and secularism.
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Kelly, Michael
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1 February 2017
Kelly, Michael
dcc9dfa0-fb81-40b3-b87b-a16e4ba0c430
Abstract
Atheists were among the most militant supporters of laïcité in the 19th and early 20th centuries. They saw it as a means for curtailing the traditional power of the Catholic Church in French society. However, in recent years, the main religious groupings have come to the defence of laïcité as a protection for religious freedom. This article traces the changing relationship between atheism and laïcité in its different forms. It identifies the main groups that advocate both principles, and examines the work of recent secular thinkers who seek to offer an alternative ethical position and even an alternative spirituality. It argues that while some atheist groups still see laïcité as a crucial weapon in the battle against religious power, the leading atheist intellectuals are focusing instead on the personal beliefs and values of citizens, and are offering new perspectives on religion and secularism.
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FCS Kelly final v2.docx
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Accepted/In Press date: 30 September 2016
e-pub ahead of print date: 30 January 2017
Published date: 1 February 2017
Organisations:
Modern Languages
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Local EPrints ID: 402898
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/402898
ISSN: 0957-1558
PURE UUID: 302f4ed1-65b0-4fa1-b3d6-9d984b6456a5
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Date deposited: 22 Nov 2016 13:35
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 02:36
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