Fourteenth International Conference on Religion & Spirituality in Society

Abstract

Secularism worldwide poses great challenges to religion. It seems the gates are open to reject religion. The most important challenge comes from some scientists who reject a religious understanding of the world. Evolution is regarded as a proven scientific explanation of the present world. Furthermore, religious books such as the bible are rejected because of the so-called discrepancies and evil descriptions, even of God. How should religions react to these challenges? The purpose of this paper is to explain the main implications of secularism. In South Africa, the religious beliefs of many are rejected. Authors of novels, many influential people and even some theologians who turned away from faith, proclaim that secularism should be embraced. The purpose is to engage these views and explain how religions should react. The method followed in this paper is to present via literature study the main views of secularism, also from novelists and ex-theologians and to engage it from a literature study of exponents who, mostly from a Christian viewpoint, discuss the response to these views. Evaluation of ideas and views are then also presented. The implications are that the purpose of religious beliefs are again clarified and that the value of faith in the present world of secularism is established.