Inventing Secularism

Download or read book Inventing Secularism written by Ray Argyle and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2021-02-17 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Jailed for atheism and disowned by his family, George Jacob Holyoake came out of an English prison at the age of 25 determined to bring an end to religion's control over daily life. This first modern biography of the founder of Secularism describes a transformative figure whose controversial and conflict-filled life helped shape the modern world. Ever on the front lines of social reform, Holyoake was hailed for having won "the freedoms we take for granted today." With Secularism now under siege, George Holyoake's vision of a "virtuous society" rings today with renewed clarity.