BELIEFS & COMMUNITY
Secular Humanism: ethics, reason and community
Religious Values guide · Updated
Secular Humanism is a nonreligious approach to life that grounds ethical responsibility in human experience, reason and concern for wellbeing. It seeks meaning and moral action without relying on supernatural authority. It is more than disbelief in a god: it offers a positive account of how people can live together and take responsibility for their choices.
There is no single humanist congregation or binding creed. Humanist organizations publish shared principles, while individuals remain responsible for examining their beliefs.
Ethics through reason and concern for others
Humanist ethics begins with the capacity of people and other living beings to suffer and flourish. Empathy, evidence and discussion help evaluate actions and institutions. This does not imply that every moral question has an easy scientific answer. Reasoning about consequences, dignity and competing needs remains necessary, and humanists can disagree while sharing a commitment to open inquiry and humane treatment.[1]
A view of knowledge and meaning
Secular humanists favor natural explanations and methods that allow claims to be questioned and revised. Meaning can arise through relationships, creative work, understanding and service within this life. The Council for Secular Humanism connects critical inquiry with individual freedom and a commitment to ethical conduct. Doubt is not treated as a failure to conform to a revealed religious authority.[2]
Community without shared worship
Humanists may meet through local associations, discussion groups, volunteering or public events. Some use humanist celebrants for life ceremonies; others have no organizational affiliation. Humanists International's declaration provides a shared statement of values across participating organizations, rather than a liturgy everyone must follow. The practical question is what forms of belonging, reflection and service a particular group actually offers.[1][2]
Common questions
Is secular humanism the same as atheism?
Atheism concerns belief in gods. Secular humanism also makes positive commitments about ethics, reason and human responsibility. An atheist need not identify as a humanist, and disbelief alone does not tell you someone's moral or political views.[2]
Does humanism require hostility toward religious people?
No. Humanist principles support freedom of belief and the dignity of people, including those with religious commitments. Criticism of a claim or institution can coexist with cooperation and respectful relationships. Ask a local group how it puts these principles into practice.[1]
Sources & further reading
The sources below explain the beliefs and practices discussed here. Where a guide describes a broad movement, a named organization illustrates its own approach.
- 1.Humanists International: Declaration of Modern Humanism
The declaration adopted in 2022, covering ethics, reason, freedom and meaning.
- 2.Council for Secular Humanism: What is secular humanism?
An explanation from a secular humanist organization.