Christian humanism, religious humanism, and secular humanism
December 8, 2009 Humanism has been so popular over the past 200
years that religions try to claim it for themselves. The term
"humanism" gained wide use in mid-1800s, and liberal religious
scholars then applied it to early Christian theologians and
Renaissance thinkers. In the early 20th century, religious and
atheist thinkers banded together to brand "Humanism" as a
philosophical stance, setting some agendas for Unitarian
Universalism and the American Humanist Association. At present,
prominent humanists have gone so far as to declare that a
humanist must be an agnostic or an atheist. Humanism is
evidently under considerable strain, perhaps a victim of its
success. Atheists frequently describe their lifestance and
ethics as "humanist". Many humanists retain a high regard for
Christianity, and many Christians agree with the essentials of
humanism. Where can we still find "humanism"? Christian humanism
respects the dignity and mind of humans because