‘It is in service to others, it is as members of the community, that our existence lies.’
Hermann Bondi, Humanism – the only valid foundation of ethics (1992)
As the word ‘humanism’ might imply, connections with other people are very important to humanists. Believing this is the one life we have, they place great importance on finding happiness in the here and now and supporting others to do the same. Human beings evolved as social animals and therefore often crave the company of others. Isolation can be harmful to our wellbeing and other people can be a source of support in times of need. In this article we’ll take a look at where humanists find community and why they value it.
Where do humanists find community?
While there are ample opportunities for humanists to gather together with other humanists, not all will do so in any organised sense, and there is certainly no obligation. They have no places of worship or required rituals for which they must come together. Many humanists get all the community they need from family, friends, and work. Others find community through the many ways human beings group together under shared interests and goals, such as sport, music, volunteering, or campaigning for change, often with people who might not share their worldview.
The national organisation for humanists is called Humanists UK and it has over 130,000 members and supporters. (That number does not represent all humanists, just as church attendance does not represent all Christians.) Humanists UK holds many events and other opportunities for humanists to come together. Every year, its annual convention brings together hundreds of humanists from all over the country to listen to talks and engage in conversation. This event has recently been held in Sheffield, Cardiff, and Liverpool. It’s open to anyone who wishes to attend. Everyone is welcome.
Humanists UK annual convention
There are also around 50 local humanist groups in the UK, and the number is rising. These provide an opportunity for humanists to gather and enjoy conversation and company. A humanist local group event will often involve a speaker on a topic of interest and a discussion. Sometimes, however, they are simply a social occasion – perhaps involving a walk in a park or site of natural beauty, or sharing food and drink.
Special humanist groups exist for people working in particular sectors, such as Defence Humanists for people in the armed forces; humanists with a shared identity, such as LGBT Humanists or the Association of Black Humanists; and humanists with shared goals, such as Humanist Climate Action.
‘No man is an island. I know that’s a cliché, but it’s actually true when you think about humanism. It’s that collective thought, that I can go to my fellow Association of Black Humanists and go, I have a dilemma, what do I do? It’s that collectiveness, that you’re not alone.’
Audrey Simmons, Association of Black Humanists
Humanist ceremonies also provide opportunities for community. Many humanists mark important moments in life such as births, weddings, and funerals, sharing the experience with friends and family.
A humanist wedding
Community can be very important for humanists in parts of the world where being non-religious puts people’s liberty and safety at risk. Here, humanist groups can be of great value to people who might feel afraid to speak publicly about their beliefs. Humanists International has member organisations in over 60 countries and holds an annual congress that brings humanists together from all over the world. It provides opportunities for humanists to make connections with each other in their own country, and in other parts of the globe, supporting people to recognise they are not alone.
Freedom of choice over the communities we join and belong to is also important to humanists. That means people should be free to leave any group that they do not feel comfortable being a part of. Nobody should be bound to a particular community. Sometimes when people change their beliefs, they can find themselves rejected by a community. That community might have provided them with a home, a job, and a family. Faith to Faithless is a programme run by Humanists UK that supports ex-religious people who find themselves in such a situation. It provides a community of people who have faced similar experiences as well as support with building a new life.
A history of humanist communities
‘Fellowship is heaven, and lack of fellowship is hell.’
William Morris, A Dream of John Ball (1888)
Throughout history, humanists have not always easily been able to gather with others who shared their beliefs. For many hundreds of years, when atheism or accusations of blasphemy could result in punishment, it would have been dangerous for people with humanist ideas to meet publicly. However, during the 19th century, organised groups of non-religious people did begin to form.
For those who were part of them, these humanist communities provided opportunities to meet likeminded people, enjoy discussions and events, hold ceremonies, and make their voices heard as a collective. They were often not labelled ‘humanist’, but may have used other labels such as ‘secular’, ‘rationalist’, or ‘freethinkers’.
Gathering together with others allowed people with humanist ideas to explore and express their own beliefs, whether by listening to a lecture, singing secular songs, or even holding special ceremonies. One example of this kind of community was the Owenites: followers of Robert Owen (1771–1858), who believed in working for a more equal society, and in a ‘rational religion’ based on human needs. In 1849, one Owenite group held a naming ceremony for the baby son of publisher Edward Truelove, which called upon the community to help raise him with values of honesty, kindness, and freedom of thought. These kinds of ceremonies helped create a sense of community rooted in shared beliefs and values.
The 19th century saw the birth of different kinds of humanist groups, including positivist societies (whose ‘religion of humanity’ celebrated the achievements of human beings); secular societies (rooted in the philosophy of ‘secularism’, which at the time meant ‘the promotion of human happiness in this world’); and the ethical societies, many of which would ultimately come together to become Humanists UK.
Members of the Leicester Secular Society, 19th century
While the early ethical societies were often a space for non-religious people, they were not exclusive. Their goal was to bring people together who wanted to collaborate to do good. The first ethical society in the UK was the London Ethical Society, founded in 1886 by a group of people who wanted to put their values into practice. Over time, many more ethical societies were formed all across the UK, all of which brought people together in community. They held many different forms of meeting, including lectures, singing, discussions, and rambles, as well as other community activities, like secular Sunday schools, kindergartens, and social clubs.
The ethical societies were often active in campaigns for a better and fairer world, bringing people together around causes like women’s right to vote in elections, moral education (instead of religious instruction) in schools, and peace. They saw themselves as part of a wider community of people who believed in being good without religion, reaching right around the world.
During the 19th century and into the 1900s, many people were suspicious of those who did not have a religion, believing they were immoral or likely to spread dangerous ideas. Sometimes, non-religious groups would be refused the use of venues, or even experience protests during their meetings. Because of this, some groups raised money to construct their own buildings, which they would be safe to use and could decorate according to what they believed. Two such buildings still survive today: Leicester Secular Hall (opened in 1881) and Conway Hall, London (opened in 1929).
‘One of the most important tasks for the future will be in getting new members and making Conway Hall known… holding as we do, views that are not generally accepted by the majority of people… I do feel the need of fellowship of people who more or less share my views… To me fellowship is life and the lack of fellowship is boredom.’
Edgar Frank Errington on the building of Conway Hall
As well as humanist groups linked to the national organisation, people with humanist values have also gathered in other small communities. One such group was the Cambridge Heretics, founded in 1909 at the University of Cambridge, who disagreed with the university’s requirement to attend chapel and wanted the freedom to discuss anything and everything. Other groups, like the Ipswich Heretics, were simply friends with shared interests who met regularly to discuss science, philosophy, literature, and education.
‘By joining a local humanist society – I have joined a community and found “fellowship”, made good friends among people whose minds work in a similar way to mine… Joining and working for the Humanist movement has given me confidence and many happy experiences.’
Barbara Pilbeam, Macclesfield, Cheshire (~1960)
Over the decades, there have been many different kinds of humanist communities, often gathered around other points of connection. These have included groups for young humanists and humanist students, networks for humanist teachers and humanist nurses, and for LGBT humanists. Many different kinds of activities have been organised and encouraged, like the Humanist Letter Network (offering humanist penpals), humanist holidays, and conventions and conferences. Even when people have not been able to be together in person, newsletters and journals have helped to build a sense of community with other non-religious people across the UK and around the world.
Why do humanists value community?
Humanists often value community for many of the same reasons most people do. Human beings are social animals that thrive in connection with others.
When can community be problematic?
Humanists might highlight a distinction between what the social scientist Robert Putman identified as ‘bonding’ and ‘bridging’.
Bonding between people with shared beliefs is often important to us as it provides a support network, but it can be dangerous if it leads to division from groups who might hold different beliefs. Many humanists worry if bonding leads to an ‘us vs. them’ mentality.
As well as many positive ethical instincts, human beings have evolved a propensity to tribalism – a strong loyalty to their group over others. This highlights and sometimes distorts differences to try to bind communities together. Such in-group loyalty (perhaps even more than purely selfish behaviour) is the cause of a significant amount of the conflict and harm we see in society and around the world today.
Bridging is therefore also important – building connections between communities. We need to reach out to those who are different from us, not necessarily to agree on everything, but to better understand each other, find common values where they exist, and to work together for a more peaceful society. Humanism places a strong emphasis on our shared humanity – the idea that we are all one human family, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, or beliefs. Some humanists can therefore be found engaging in dialogue work, seeking opportunities to engage in conversation with religious people, while others campaign for a secular society that guarantees freedom of religion or belief. Education about, and contact with, those who are different from us is therefore crucial. Recognising the broader human community of which we are part is essential to living well together.
‘[Humanism] does generate a view of the value of community, and of the particular kinds of communities which are important in meeting human needs. It enables us to welcome the diversity of overlapping communities which is characteristic of modern societies. It celebrates the need to think for yourself along with the need to belong, to bond but also to bridge, to listen to, talk to and engage with others who think differently.’
Richard Norman, What is humanism for?
You’ll find a classroom resource on humanists and community here.
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