The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Secular Judaism
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The term "secular judaism" sounds like an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. How can one simultaneously subscribe to Judaism and be secular? The term itself is commonly attributed to George Jacob Holyoake (1817-1906), the ironically named Englishman who literally wrote the early tracts on the subject. According to Holyoake, secularism promotes three main principles: the improvement of this life by material means; the use of science for human betterment, and doing good. Above all else, Holyoake and his followers focused squarely on this world as opposed to the "world to come." While Jewish secularism has waxed and waned over the years, there has been a resurgence today. This unexpected rebirth of Jewish secularism reflects, in part, a generational turn: a reminder of the adage that what one generation seeks to forget another seeks to remember.
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