Given the recent popularity of several high-profile books on atheism, the Pew Forum invited Wilfred McClay, a distinguished professor of intellectual history, to speak on the historical relationship between religion and secularism in America. McClay draws a distinction between what he calls "political secularism," which recognizes the legitimacy and even moral necessity of religious faith, while preventing any one faith from being established, and "philosophical secularism," which attempts to establish a common unbelief as a basis for government. McClay contends that the first understanding of secularism was at the heart of the founders' vision and, that it, aided by those features of Christianity prevalent in America, have resulted in a unique if imperfect mingling of religion and government in American public life.
Source: Pew Research Center | Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
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