Ideas and Challenges^1
This book outlines theological humanism as a way to think about the human project economic, or technological powers. What is needed, we contend, is a way beyond a constricted anthropocentrism where “man” is the measure of that circumvents usual options rooted in political, religious,
everything the various “theisms,” the rule of the gods, which struggle for human faith and obedience. We also need a way beyond the rejection of humanism in any form in terms of what is called anti-humanism as well as the rejection of religion by ardent secularists. Those options are no longer
capable of sustaining and directing human existence. A different vision is needed. The terms of the debate need to be changed.and challenges for theological humanism. The initial treatment of these This chapter orients the argument of the book by introducing basic ideas
matters will be developed and deepened in later chapters. We also note our pathway of reflection, our method, what we call “third-way thinking.” In these various ways the chapter provides orientation for the rest of our essay.The world’s religions have insisted that God, the sacred, the deities, or The Real constitute ultimate reality in relation to which human life derives value Religion, Theism, and Humanism
and purpose.conformityterm “religion” in a capacious way, hold that one ought to live in to what is ultimately true, ultimately real, however conceived. Of course, to “God” and “God’s will.” Even non-theistic religions, using the^1 They contend that the purpose of human existence is to live in conformity
9781405155267_4_001.indd 119781405155267_4_001.indd 11© Religion and the Human Future: An Essay on Theological Humanism2008 David E. Klemm and William Schweiker^. ISBN: 978-1-405^ -15526-7David E. Klemm and William Schweiker 5/2/2008 4:23:06 PM5/2/2008 4:23:06 PM