Inspiring RE: Living Without God

This book explores living without God, which is
what millions of people in Britain do every day.
In it we refer to these people as ‘non-religious’.
Many of the terms used in this area are slightly
awkward as some non-religious people don’t like
to be referred to using a term like ‘atheist’, and
don’t consider it a word that defines a way of life
or worldview. We have given specific examples
of practice focusing particularly on Humanists,
but also use examples of people who would not
categorise themselves as Humanists.

The study of non-religious people often differs
from the study of religions. It’s a worldview
without a holy text or founding figure, with no
religious festivals, compulsory rituals, places or
objects of worship, prayers, hymns or structures
of authority. Teaching about non-religious people
means it’s important to look at philosophical
questions. Some people take their non-religious
views further and identify as Humanists. Many
non-religious people consider their beliefs to be
‘lived beliefs’, affecting the way they live their life.
The section ‘Ready Steady RE’ suggests starters,
and at the end of the book we offer some dos
and don’ts for teaching about non-religious
worldviews. For our youngest children we look
at a baby-welcoming ceremony, using photos,
comments and readings from those involved,
providing a unique insight into an authentic
ceremony. Two stories exploring the non-religious
values of rationality, courage and openheartedness form the second focus for 7-andunders. For 7–9s we use the United Nations’
Universal Declaration of Human Rights to look at
four non-religious charities. There are different
reasons for not accepting the idea of God, and
different levels of commitment to belief and nonbelief. We have provided a scale of belief and nonbelief for 8–11s, to help them see that the picture is complex. Fittingly perhaps, the book concludes with non-religious views about death, using a
series of quotes and readings and strategies such
as silent debate and talking circles to ensure this
topic is dealt with sensitively