| Summary: | Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University === PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. === What can a study of non-theism tell us about the transformation of religious life in America? Non-theism, as an alternative religion, challenges the traditional theological and theoretical boundaries traditionally drawn between the sacred and the profane, religion and science, God and humanity. The advent of American non-theism, characterized by a worldview that does not rely on God, gods, or supernaturalism to answer humanity's "ultimate concerns," does not indicate a shift from belief to unbelief, nor religion to non-religion, but rather a shift from one form of religion to another. Once we recognize that non-theism denotes a change in the form of religion, rather than a decline in religiosity, we can forego the secularization thesis and focus instead on a crucial shift from unquestioned belief to critical inquiry. This change in religious life is not only indicative of non-theism; it is a key characteristic of the post-traditional American religious landscape. === 2031-01-01
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