“SOFiA is a network of Australians interested in openly exploring issues of life and meaning through reason, philosophy, ethics, religion, science and the arts. We want to explore for ourselves what we can believe and how we can find meaning in our lives.”
“SOFiA has no philosophical or religious position beyond a desire to ‘openly explore’: it is a forum for discussing ideas, experiences and possibilities.”
“Any who find themselves in sympathy with our purpose – exploring life and meaning in an open and non-dogmatic manner – are most welcome to join us.”
SOFiA website
This draft SoFiA position statement does not seek to change the IDEAL of the above statement, the ideal, though, it does not reflect our current reality. Exploring life and meaning in an open and non-dogmatic manner means accepting the philosophical reality. The ideal can be retained but a position statement should not be vague about how reality is shaping the thinking within the SoFiA organisation. There is no conflict between the SoFiA’s ideal and the fact that the organisation will advance its thinking in diverse ways.
What is the current philosophical reality in SoFiA?
In the last decade there has merged three positionings of thinking, not merely within SoFiA but also in the world that examines “issues of life and meaning through reason, philosophy, ethics, religion, science and the arts.”
NONES: declared no religious or organisational affiliation;
DONES: declared no institutional or formal affiliation;
MAINS: where there is declared affiliation, opposite of “nones” and “dones” and this is the traditional and mainstream outlook (a horizon worldview), and in the “main”, which has not caught up in the “historical delay.”
Lets be clear and frank. All three positions within SoFiA are legitimate, valid in reasoning, and are most welcomed with the SoFiA organisation.
The literature (see references below) has been developing on these three positions, and the point is that, in all three positions, within the positional thinking, the “issues of life and meaning through reason, philosophy, ethics, religion, science and the arts” are all contested. This does not mean that there is no actual positional thinking. The “Nones” most certainly have given up on religious or organisational affiliation. The statistics declare that the “Nones” as the fastest and largest growing grouping in belief systems for intellectually western nations. However, the statistics are most vague what the “Nones” means in terms of positive affirmations. The “Dones” are likely wise not easy to discern and there is some overlap with “Nones.” The difference with “Dones” is the no institutional or formal affiliation which means more than not having religious or organisational affiliation. It is a complete rejection of organised belief.
In reality, that is, in the unthinking ‘congregations’ of society, many of the “Mains” can also be hidden “Nones” or “Dones” and are persons only playing a game of convention. However, there are genuine intellectual “mains” who honestly declared their particular affiliation. They are also welcomed into the SoFiA family. Tradition evolves which means that the ideal and shifting reality can co-exist.
REFERENCES
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Neville Buch
Historian,
President, Sea of Faith in Australia Inc. (SoFiA)
Professional Historians Australia (Queensland)
Australian and New Zealand History of Education Society (ANZHES)
Convenor, Sociology of Education Thematic Group, The Australian Sociological Association (TASA).
President, Southern Brisbane Suburban Forum (SBSF).
Director, Brisbane Southside History Network (BSHN).
MPHA (Qld), Ph.D. (History) UQ., Grad. Dip. Arts (Philosophy) Melb., Grad. Dip. (Education) UQ.
Neville Buch
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