Thomas Albert Howard, a professor of humanities and history at Valparaiso University, discusses his new book, which challenges the assumption that secularism is inherently less violent than religion. He argues that various forms of secularism, especially during tumultuous periods like the French Revolution, have instigated significant violence. Howard also delves into the conflicts between Marxism and religious practices in Russia, the implications of France's 1905 secular laws, and the transformative effects of Kemalism on Turkey's identity.
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insights INSIGHT
Standard Narrative of Religious Violence
The standard narrative of religious violence links it to pre-Enlightenment times, followed by a rise of secularism and religious freedom.
This view, while accurate for the West, overlooks the complexities of secularism's impact globally.
insights INSIGHT
Passive Secularism
Passive secularism, exemplified by figures like James Madison and John Locke, advocates for religious freedom and separation of church and state.
Félicité de Lamennais, a Catholic intellectual, surprisingly championed this idea, foreseeing benefits for the Church despite state opposition.
insights INSIGHT
Combative Secularism
Combative secularism, rooted in radical Enlightenment thought, actively opposes the Church's influence, as seen in the French Revolution's de-Christianization efforts.
Thinkers like Voltaire and Diderot influenced this strand, culminating in the 1905 French law separating church and state.
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The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy
Matthew Scully
In 'Dominion,' Matthew Scully presents a comprehensive and eloquent case against the mistreatment of animals. The book delves into various aspects of animal suffering, including factory farming, hunting, whaling, and laboratory experiments. Scully challenges the notion that humans have unlimited dominion over animals, as suggested by biblical interpretations, and argues for a moral and compassionate approach to animal treatment. He draws on both religious and scientific perspectives to make his case, emphasizing the importance of empathy and the recognition of animal consciousness and suffering. The book is a call to action for reform and a plea for human benevolence and mercy towards animals.
Matriona’s House
Matriona’s House
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
The Faiths of Others, a history of interreligious dialogue
The Faiths of Others, a history of interreligious dialogue
Thomas Albert Howard
Broken Altars, Secularist Violence in Modern History
Broken Altars, Secularist Violence in Modern History
Thomas Albert Howard
My Father's Glory
My Father's Glory
Marcel Pagnol
“For many educated Westerners,” writes today’s guest, “ the idea that religion promotes violence and secularism ameliorates the problem is a settled certainty, a doxa, an unstated premise of right thinking. By no means do I deny that religious energies…can be turned toward destructive ends, especially by unscrupulous politicians in times of crisis and uncertainty… Nonetheless, concentration on or simply assuming religion’s inclination toward violence insouciantly glides past a glaring reality of the twentieth century: namely, that regimes committed to secularism have not infrequently possessed just as much capacity for violence as, and often much more than, those tied to religious identity.”
These are some of the observations with which Thomas Albert Howard begins his new book, Broken Altars: Secularist Violence in Modern History. It is a survey and a dissection of how certain types of secularism can lead to violence as furious as that of any religious fanatic.
Thomas Albert (Tal) Howard (Ph.D, University of Virginia) is professor of humanities and history and holds the Phyllis and Richard Duesenberg Chair in Christian Ethics at Valparaiso University. His previous books include The Faiths of Others: A History of Interreligious Dialogue (Yale University Press, 2021), which was the subject of our conversation in Episode 232 of this podcast. This is his third appearance on Historically Thinking; he also discussed the life and historical project of Jacob Burckhardt long, long ago in Episode 37.
(The image is of two Tibetan Buddhists undergoing a "self-criticism session" in Lhasa sometime in 1966; from picryl.com)
Historically Thinking 