Section A: 4.2 Secular sources of communal values

In the medieval world communal values were shaped, almost exclusively, by institutional religion. In the case of mainland Europe Christianity cast a particularly long shadow – dictating cultural and behaviour norms, as well as codes of ethics and moral theories. 

 The Enlightenment heralded the emergence of a secular worldview – and in doing so, severed links between values and religious belief. Beginning in the 16th century we can identify a number of cultural changes that led to the development of non-religious communal values.



Past Exam Question

The development of non-religious communal values can be traced back to moments such as the rise of humanism, existentialism etc. Profile how any two such moments contributed to the development of non-religious communal values

Renaissance


The Renaissance is a time of innovation in the arts and human sciences. It represented a 'rebirth’ after the long slumber of the dark ages. The scientific discoveries of Copernicus and Galileo were seen to challenge the authority of the Bible, and Martin Luther and co. were radically reforming the landscape of faith. The emergence of humanist thinking signalled the movement away from a theocentric worldview to a more anthropocentric one. The emphasis had shifted from the divine/transcendent to a more ‘this worldly’ focus. This is evident in the ideas of Erasmus – he believed in training the human mind through education, advocated scepticism and was critical of the teachings of the Church. In essence, he believed we should focus on the human experience and strive towards the summit of perfect excellence – encapsulating the mood of the time.



Enlightenment


The Enlightenment motto was sapare aude – ‘dare to know’ – a bold statement that equated the pursuit of knowledge as an act of great courage that required conviction. Enlightenment thinkers believed in the freedom to make use of human reason in all fields of discourse – this was spurred by a conviction that scientific progress would bring human progress, and involved rejecting all traditional forms of authority. This convergence of ideas would help establish the foundations of a secular morality.

‘Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity’ – the French Revolution shows the power of secular values to transform society. It represented the overthrowing of the old order, a rejection of inherited values and formation of a new moral code based on inalienable human rights – ‘Men are born free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only the general good.’ (The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen, 1789)

This movement away from traditional forms of rule, and the subsequent secularisation of French society betrays a desire to develop non-religious communal values. This involves transposing our focus from the transcendent to the human – ensuring that enriching the human experience becomes our sole reason and purpose.

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