Rationalism & Skepticism History

Those who never been a part of a faith tradition during their lifetime too often fear religious ideas and organisations. Those who only ever been a part of a faith tradition too often fear ‘rationalism’ and ‘skepticism’ and never understand what those perspectives really entail.

Commonly, most people are unaware of the cordial and stimulating, respectful, conversations which occurs between scholars of faith and scholars of reason. If there is to be understanding, then polemicists should not be allowed to set the tone for such discussions. With understanding, we have hope for a better world.

Dr Buch is a Queensland historian of belief and doubt. Often Queenslanders are unaware in the intellectual life of their own religious or secular organisations that belief and doubt are only two sides of the same coin. Dr Buch is a trained epistemologist and ethicist, with a postgraduate qualification from the University of Melbourne. As a professional historian, he is in a unique situation to explore these ‘big belief’ issues on the Queensland landscape.

Among his well-regarded publications in this area are:

• Preliminary Conclusions in the Search of Philosophical Grounds for Contemporary
• Unitarian Identity. The Journal of Liberal Religion. Volume 3, No. 2, Summer 2002.
• Religion Remain a Problem. The Skeptic. Summer 2007.
• The Value of the Secular. Quadrant. Volume 51, No. 1, March 2007.

See also ‘Religion & Secular History’.

Talk with Neville today to see what your Community or institution can do to improve your history involvement.