Universities have traditionally been thought of as “secular enclaves” (Bryant, 2006: 2) that have the capacity to liberalise or even eradicate personal religious beliefs. Despite this assumption, religious activity on university campuses shows no sign of declining, due in part to the failings of the secularisation thesis and the rise of religious pluralism. In the media more recently, there have been frequent references to religious organisations on campus, in particular to clashes between Christian societies and Student Unions, and between Islamic and atheist societies. The management of religion on university campuses has also become a political issue with the Prime Minister David Cameron intervening on recent guidelines (proposed by Universities U.K.) advising that external religious speakers be allowed to segregate student audiences based on gender. As a direct result of Cameron’s intervention the advisory comment was removed. In light of the above, the aim of this thesis is to explore how Christian, Jewish and Muslim students navigate the terrain of the university and whether such an environment is challenging or conducive to their faith in terms of degree content, interactions with peers and involvement in relevant societies and/or chaplaincies. This thesis also explores student reactions to the New Atheism, a label attributed to a group of provocative authors – Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens – all of whom are united in their belief that religion is irrational, false and evil. Often described as the chief proponent of the New Atheism, Richard Dawkins has also recently shown his support for UCL’s atheist society in their disagreement with the Student Union over the uploading of a satirical religious cartoon to their Facebook page. The research which forms the basis of this thesis was carried out between 2011-2013 and features the use of qualitative semi-structured interviews and the presentation of New Atheist extracts from Dawkins, Hitchens, Dennett and Harris. Over 30 participants were included in the project with a minimum of 10 students from each (Islamic, Christian and Jewish) faith group. The multi-faith angle of this project offers a unique insight into how different faith groups navigate the university, with some common issues emerging across all faith groups as well as faith-specific issues. Sociological research in this area has tended to focus on Christian students and this has meant that certain concerns (such as dietary provisions and prayer space) have tended to be overlooked by researchers. The findings of this research project are multi-layered and complex. Religious students differed in terms of their expectations of higher education institutions: some students viewed the university in purely educational terms (and as having no religious function), while others saw the university as a place for both educational and spiritual development and where personal faith could be integrated with their academic studies and social life. The experience of religious students in using chaplaincies and societies was also mixed, with some students reporting fears of being “judged” by other members of the same faith group. There also appeared to be intra-religious tension across all faith groups but this was more prevalent among the Christian and Islamic societies due to denominational differences. Inter-religious (as opposed to intra-religious) tension emerged particularly in the students’ responses to the New Atheism. Rather than seeing New Atheist literature as a direct challenge to their own faith, the participants recognised that “other” religious believers might be guilty of the New Atheist’s accusations – therefore highlighting a surprising degree of convergence between religious participants and New Atheist arguments.

This thesis defends two arguments. First, it is argued that new atheism and Protestant fundamentalism in Britain and America share a common historical root in the English Reformation and its aftermath. This common historical root gave rise to two presuppositions instrumental in their genesis: a literal, univocal, and perspicuous understanding of Scripture, and a disruptive and substitutionary conception of divine activity in nature. Second, it is argued that these two presuppositions continue to structure both forms of thought, and support a range of shared biblical, hermeneutical, and theological beliefs. In advancing these arguments, a number of substantive conclusions regarding atheism, Protestant fundamentalism, and the lineage of Protestant thought in Britain and America are reached. First, it is argued that, while lacking detail, popular comparisons between new atheism and Protestant fundamentalism are cogent. Second, it is argued that atheism in Britain and America grew out of intellectual and social problems within Protestantism. Third, it is argued that Protestant fundamentalism was itself a response to the same train of problems that gave rise to atheism. Fourth, it is argued that new atheism is not an areligious movement but an atheological one, which finds it necessary to engage in the task of theology in order to reject the existence of God and the truth of the Christian faith. Fifth, this study casts doubt on the self-understanding of both Protestant fundamentalism and new atheism, showing that Protestant fundamentalism is not truly biblical, nor new atheism scientific, but that both are indebted to presuppositions that neither can properly justify, and which render both self-contradictory.

This master's thesis in religious studies titled An Introduction to movement of New Atheism: definitions and metatheses aims to present an introduction to very basic problems New Atheism (NAT). The NAT is commonly associated to four people, namely Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett and Christopher Hitchens are considered the fathers of this set of ideas about religion. The object of this dissertation is not primarily the theses sustained by these intellectuals, but to understand the NAT itself. Regarding the research methodology is conceptual in nature, not empirical, but draws on historical and sociological research on the subject. After noting that there is great divergence in the literature and in the media of how to understand the NAT established in the first chapter a minimum concept of 'atheism' and the second 'New Atheism'. In the last chapter, the third, we discuss some metatheses, general claims about the NAT. We conclude that atheism should be understood among other properties such as the absence of belief in God or the gods. The NAT even if not defined, it can be understood as a group of theses with family resemblance. Finally, in relation to metatheses, partially agree with Zenk that NAT is a media construction; LeDrew also with a social movement that is fundamentally an ideology. However, we disagree with Paine and Nall that such a move is a fundamentalism as defined by both authors. We hope that this work is a contribution to the study of atheism in our country. / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo apresentar uma introdução a problemas muito básicos do neoateísmo (NAT). O NAT está associado comumente a quatro intelectuais, a saber, Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett e Christopher Hitchens, que são considerados os genitores desse conjunto de ideias a respeito da religião. O objeto desta dissertação não é primariamente examinar as teses sustentadas por esses autores, mas compreender o próprio NAT. Em relação à metodologia da pesquisa, é de índole conceitual, não empírica, porém se vale de pesquisas históricas e sociológicas a respeito do tema. Após observar que há grande divergência na literatura e na mídia sobre como entender o NAT, estabelecemos no primeiro capítulo um conceito mínimo de “ateísmo” e no segundo um de “neoateísmo”. No último capítulo, o terceiro, discutimos algumas metateses – alegações gerais a respeito do NAT. Concluímos que o ateísmo deve ser entendido como apresentando, entre outras características, a ausência da crença em Deus ou nos deuses. Podemos compreender o NAT, mesmo que não o definindo, como um grupo de teses com semelhança de família. Por fim, em relação às metateses, concordamos parcialmente com Zenk que o NAT é uma construção da mídia; igualmente com LeDrew, quando este autor postula que é um movimento social, fundamentalmente uma ideologia. Porém, discordamos de Paine e Nall, de que tal movimento seja um fundamentalismo, como definido por ambos os autores. Esperamos que este trabalho contribua para os estudos sobre o ateísmo em nosso país. / São Cristóvão, SE

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Leonardo Vasconcelos de Castro Moreira.pdf: 836863 bytes, checksum: aec2d442840bcd09481bbe99fcab9ac7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-08 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens have started the new atheism movement. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, these authors aligned their speeches, which were already anti-religious, even more vehemently. Using the concept of Max Weber's disenchantment of the world, I tried to understand how they use science and other arguments against religion. Without forgetting the political struggle, I observe how the deconstruction of the religious sense has a goal of conversion. With theempty of the religious morality of theirs followers, I examine how these four authors construct a new worldview, at an individual and collective level, that would be the (re)enchantment of the world proposed by them. The replacement of religious values by the values of science and new-atheist values, places the new atheism not only on a collision course towards religions, but also causes this new movement to cross to the side of the religious field and become a new symbolic proposal with their own values / Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris e Christopher Hitchens deram início ao que hoje é chamado de neoateísmo. Após os atentados terroristas de 11 de Setembro de 2001, esses autores alinharam seus discursos, que já eram antirreligiosos, de forma ainda mais veemente. Utilizando o conceito de Max Weber de desencantamento do mundo, procuro entender como eles utilizam-se da ciência e de outros argumentos para combater a religião. Sem esquecer a luta política, procuro observar como a desconstrução do sentido religioso tem um objetivo de conversão. Existindo um esvaziamento da moral religiosa dos seguidores do neoateísmo, procuro também analisar como esses quatro autores constroem uma nova cosmovisão, tanto no âmbito individual como coletivo, que seria o (re)encantamento do mundo proposto por eles. A substituição dos valores religiosos pelos valores ditos da ciência e também pelos valores neoateus acaba colocando o neoateísmo não só em rota de colisão perante as religiões, mas também faz com que o mesmo atravesse para o lado do campo religioso e torne-se uma nova proposta simbólica, com seus próprios valores e compensadores

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-06-07T13:19:04Z No. of bitstreams: 1 roneydeseixasandrade.pdf: 2043362 bytes, checksum: f07ce08899e9bc5e6716764db3bbcd68 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-07-13T13:14:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 roneydeseixasandrade.pdf: 2043362 bytes, checksum: f07ce08899e9bc5e6716764db3bbcd68 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-13T13:14:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 roneydeseixasandrade.pdf: 2043362 bytes, checksum: f07ce08899e9bc5e6716764db3bbcd68 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-29 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Esta tese tem como objetivo analisar o discurso dos principais autores neoateístas, a partir de um ponto de vista que considera o neoateísmo como um movimento atual que, diferentemente do ateísmo tradicional, tem uma pauta que não é apenas filosófica, mas também decididamente político-cultural. Ele emerge em reação aos eventos que marcaram o atentado ao World Trade Center, em 2001, e particularmente, em reação ao ressurgimento e à crescente influência cultural e política do neofundamentalismo cristão nos Estados Unidos, a partir da década de 1970. Na percepção dos neoateístas a religião está se tornando uma força politicamente organizada em ascensão, dentro e fora dos EUA, e que na avaliação desses atores pode ser definida como perigosa, destrutiva e irracional, haja vista as ações da direita religiosa norte-americana, as ações dos extremistas radicais islâmicos, e por fim, o próprio 11 de setembro de 2001. Os autores aqui analisados entendem que a postura neoateísta é crítica e renovadora. Em nossa avaliação, todavia, esta postura, apesar de se diferenciar dos ateísmos tradicionais, constitui o que entendemos ser um “neofundamentalismo secularista” cujos promotores também veiculam ideias efetivamente radicais no atual contexto político-cultural norte-americano caracterizado, como assinala James Hunter, por verdadeira guerra de culturas. / This thesis aims to analyze the discourse of the main new atheists authors, from a viewpoint that considers new atheism as a current movement that, unlike traditional atheism, has an agenda that is not only philosophical but also decidedly political and cultural. It emerges as a reaction to the terrorist attacks to the World Trade Center in 2001, and particularly in response to the resurgence and increasing cultural and political influence of Christian Neo-fundamentalism in the United States starting in the 1970’s. In the perception of new atheists, religion is becoming a politically organized force on the rise both within and outside the US, and that the evaluation of these actors can be defined as dangerous, destructive and irrational, given the actions of the US religious right, the actions of radical extremists Islamic, and finally, the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001. The authors analyzed here understand the new atheist posture as critical and refreshing. In our assessment, however, this stance despite being different from traditional atheism is what we understand to be a "Neo-secularist-fundamentalisms" whose promoters also convey effectively radical ideas in the current North American political-cultural context characterized, as noted by James Hunter, by a real culture war.

This essay intends to examine the atheists Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Michel Onfray's arguments against religion, based on the themes of religion, atheism and the perception.of their present worldview. In addition, the research aims to find out whether it is suitable to talk about a new atheism. And, if so, whether such newatheism correspond with the definition represented by the Christian critics. The essay intends to contribute to a very limited research on the so-called new atheism without applying pro-religious arguments. Previous research and theory highlight the problem of defining the terms atheism, religion and secularism a concern that is reflected by the five critics troughout their arguments. What really united the critics were the idea about religion taking too much place in society, and the opinion that atheistic morality is at least as good as religious morality. In addition, the authors agree that religion is not needed to maintain good morale, on the contrary, religion affect the morale negatively. They also assumed that religion restricts people and and that moderate religion more or less leads to, or is responsible for, fundamentalism. Also, the value of truth and contempt against relativism brought the authors together, although they were sometimes justified by very different arguments. Crucially, however, are the differences in their definitions of religion, both concerning their focus on substantive and functional definitions, the relationship between absolute, relative-, and private religion and their political focus. To regard these authors' arguments as a new atheism is thus hard to justify. The results conclude that both the Christian critics and the five critics of religion generalize their opponents view of atheism or religion, and also fail to define themselves in order to be able to unite as a group against the other.

This diploma work analyzes the contemporary rise of the number of atheists in the United States of America, basing this presupposition on numerous nation-wide surveys, primarily conducted by Gallup Poll and Pew Research Center. It goes into depth on the definition of atheism and strictly delineates the meaning of this word and the use of its alternatives in the work. Given the fact that the thesis is written by a Czech author, it also provides necessary background covering the differences between Czech atheism and American atheism. Since the work is purposely not one of literary analysis but rather of socio-political and cultural nature, reasons for this decision are given in a separate subchapter analyzing Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood. History of atheism in America is touched upon in the beginning of Chapter 3, but since the fundamental focus of this work is on the contemporary state of affairs, the roots of modern atheism in America are sought after mainly in the twentieth century. In particular, the greatest causes of the weakening of church's power and the rise of secularism (or atheism, for that matter) are given as following: Madalyn Murray O'Hair's fights against church's influence in public schools and against its public funding; the argument about the non-scientific nature of belief...