In Britain’s New Humanist, Elaine Glaser argues that the humanities, not science, is where secularists should make their case against religion:
The most effective opponent of religion is not science but the humanities. The humanities can help us move beyond the current redundant debate, because they understand concepts of language, discourse and genre, and are able to compare the two opposing enterprises philosophically. They have the analytical wherewithal to account for the growth of biblical literalism and scientific fundamentalism. The humanities are powerful allies of secularism, with their ability to critique the rise of religion historically, politically and culturally.
The fact that research in the sociology of religion has revealed significant variations in religious belief according to gender, race and socio-economic status shows that understanding why particular groups of people are more inclined towards religion than others is a far more potent way of deconstructing adherence to faith than simply telling everyone that God doesn’t exist. We need to recall why we valued the humanities in the first place and to renew our commitment to their incisive, sophisticated and subtle approach.
Continue reading at New Humanist.