Atheism, narrowly defined, is only concerned with the absence of gods. To build a foundation that grounds ethics and morality we need a positive worldview free from dogma and the supernatural. In this episode, we examine one worldview that goes “beyond atheism”: namely, religious naturalism. To discuss this idea, we are joined by Carol Wayne White, the Presidential Professor of Philosophy of Religion at Bucknell University, and author of the book, Black Lives and Sacred Humanity: Toward an African American Religious Naturalism. We learn about what religious naturalism is, whether it is compatible with atheism, and whether there is a place for “spirituality” in the worldview. We also ask whether a true atheist – or rather, a true religious naturalist – can believe in an afterlife or get married in a church.
In the bonus section, available on Patreon exclusively for subscribers, we talk about the “harm principle,” Black Lives Matter, and whether anyone has ever asked to pray for her.
Check out Carol’s book, Black Lives and Sacred Humanity: Toward an African American Religious Naturalism: https://www.fordhampress.com/9780823269822/black-lives-and-sacred-humanity/
For more on Carol, including a list of recent publications: https://www.bucknell.edu/fac-staff/carol-white
Follow Nathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NathGAlexander
Nathan’s website: https://www.nathangalexander.com/
If you find the podcast valuable and want to support it, check out our Patreon page, where you will also find bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/beyond_atheism You can also contribute by going to https://anchor.fm/beyond-atheism and clicking the “Support” button. We are grateful for every contribution.