Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt
B.J. van der Walt’s concentration problem This contribution probes the concept of secularism, a key notion of B.J. van der Walt’s “Transforming power” (2007). It is found that Van der Walt’s interpretation of secularism rests on a double assumption. The first assumption is that human nature is int...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Afrikaans |
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Scriber Editorial Systems
2010-07-01
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| Series: | Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.koersjournal.org.za/index.php/koers/article/view/69 |
| _version_ | 1818174214562119680 |
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| author | S. Griffioen |
| author_facet | S. Griffioen |
| author_sort | S. Griffioen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | B.J. van der Walt’s concentration problem
This contribution probes the concept of secularism, a key notion of B.J. van der Walt’s “Transforming power” (2007). It is found that Van der Walt’s interpretation of secularism rests on a double assumption. The first assumption is that human nature is intrinsically religious. Humans cannot live without putting their trust in something. The second is that this religious nature manifests itself in “concentrated” ways, rather than dispersing itself over a plurality of objects. These assumptions in tandem explain why Van der Walt holds the view that atheism, agnosticism and even overt indifference in matters of faith are at heart propelled by convictions that share the main features of positive religions. It also explains why he assumes that all these convictions tend towards one and the same goal: to gain dominance in the public realm.
This article is sympathetic towards the first assumption, and skeptical towards the second. It is argued that the “concentration- thesis” fails to do justice to world and life-views that obviously do not claim total allegiance. To illustrate this point it turns to the phenomenon of “multiple religious participation”, as well as to different strands within contemporary humanism. It concludes that the main problem may well be that secular culture has little to offer to satisfy the innate religious drive in humankind. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:40:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-64cc1573d1364cf28a975f0b8c32692b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0023-270X 2304-8557 |
| language | Afrikaans |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T19:40:51Z |
| publishDate | 2010-07-01 |
| publisher | Scriber Editorial Systems |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship |
| spelling | doaj.art-64cc1573d1364cf28a975f0b8c32692b2022-12-22T00:53:02ZafrScriber Editorial SystemsKoers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship0023-270X2304-85572010-07-0175110.4102/koers.v75i1.69Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der WaltS. Griffioen0Emeritus: Wijsbegeerte, Vrije Universiteit, AmsterdamB.J. van der Walt’s concentration problem This contribution probes the concept of secularism, a key notion of B.J. van der Walt’s “Transforming power” (2007). It is found that Van der Walt’s interpretation of secularism rests on a double assumption. The first assumption is that human nature is intrinsically religious. Humans cannot live without putting their trust in something. The second is that this religious nature manifests itself in “concentrated” ways, rather than dispersing itself over a plurality of objects. These assumptions in tandem explain why Van der Walt holds the view that atheism, agnosticism and even overt indifference in matters of faith are at heart propelled by convictions that share the main features of positive religions. It also explains why he assumes that all these convictions tend towards one and the same goal: to gain dominance in the public realm. This article is sympathetic towards the first assumption, and skeptical towards the second. It is argued that the “concentration- thesis” fails to do justice to world and life-views that obviously do not claim total allegiance. To illustrate this point it turns to the phenomenon of “multiple religious participation”, as well as to different strands within contemporary humanism. It concludes that the main problem may well be that secular culture has little to offer to satisfy the innate religious drive in humankind.https://www.koersjournal.org.za/index.php/koers/article/view/69Concentration-ThemeReformational PhilosophyHuman Nature As Intrinsically ReligiousHumanism As A ReligionSecularisation TheorySekularisme |
| spellingShingle | S. Griffioen Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt Koers : Bulletin for Christian Scholarship Concentration-Theme Reformational Philosophy Human Nature As Intrinsically Religious Humanism As A Religion Secularisation Theory Sekularisme |
| title | Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt |
| title_full | Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt |
| title_fullStr | Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt |
| title_full_unstemmed | Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt |
| title_short | Een concentratieprobleem bij B.J. van der Walt |
| title_sort | een concentratieprobleem bij b j van der walt |
| topic | Concentration-Theme Reformational Philosophy Human Nature As Intrinsically Religious Humanism As A Religion Secularisation Theory Sekularisme |
| url | https://www.koersjournal.org.za/index.php/koers/article/view/69 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sgriffioen eenconcentratieprobleembijbjvanderwalt |