Religious Naturalism

The Religious Naturalism website religiousnaturalism.org has just been beautifully updated. Its subtitle clearly sets out what religious naturalism essentially is: "a worldview grounded in the sciences, humanities, and arts." Ursula Goodenough, president of the Religious Naturalist Association, further explains her testimony:

"I profess my Faith. For me, the existence of all this complexity and awareness and intent and beauty, and my ability to apprehend it, serves as the ultimate meaning and the ultimate value. The continuation of life reaches around, grabs its own tail, and forms a sacred circle that requires no further justification, no Creator, no super-ordinate meaning of meaning, no purpose other than that the continuation continue until the sun collapses or the final meteor collides. I confess a credo of continuation. And in so doing, I confess as well a credo of human continuation."

"If religious emotions can be elicited by natural reality—and I believe that they can—then the story of Nature has the potential to serve as the cosmos for the global ethos that we need to articulate."

The front page of the website also provides a straight-forward answer to the often-asked question: why bother with "religion"/"religious" at all?

Why "Religious" Naturalism?

"Religious," as it is used here, is not based on belief in a deity or involvement with an organized religion. It refers to personal attitudes, values, and ways of living that reflect a deep reverence for life, a sense of awe at the wonder of nature, and a desire to act in ways that reflect this.