Inventing Secularism: The Radical Life of George Jacob Holyoake

Jailed for atheism and disowned by his family, George Jacob Holyoake came out of an English prison at the age of 25 determined to bring an end to religion's control over daily life. This first modern biography of the founder of Secularism describes a transformative figure whose controversial and conflict-filled life helped shape the modern world. Ever on the front lines of social reform, Holyoake was hailed for having won "the freedoms we take for granted today." With Secularism now under siege, George Holyoake's vision of a "virtuous society" rings today with renewed clarity.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Acknowledgments Main Dramatis Personae Chronology Foreword by Robert Forder Introduction Part I—Reform and Rebellion  1. An Inge Street Boy and the Capitalist Who Preached Socialism  2. The Roar of the Blast Furnace in a Time of Turmoil  3. In Which It Is Hard to Change the Mind of a Midlands Man  4. Is It Possible to Be Rational About Religion? Part II—Dare to Be an Atheist  5. An Honest Answer to a Difficult Question  6. The Lure of London and a Trial by Tyranny  7. How a Prisoner Became the Watchmaker’s Nemesis  8. The Light of Freedom Shines on a Liberated Blasphemer Part III—Discovering Secularism  9. Fleet Street Ink and the Fight for an Unstamped Press 10. Throwing Bombs in the “Springtime of the Peoples” 11. How the Idea of Secularism Came Into Being Part IV—A Respectable 12. Finding Yourself in Company of the Famous 13. She Heard No Evil, but Saw Much 14. A Funeral in Wales and Rallying the Faithless 15. The High Cost of a Clash of Ideas 16. The ­Co-operative Man Makes a Change of Direction Part V—Goals Gained 17. Charles Bradlaugh, Birth Control and Mrs. Besant 18. Going Blind, but Keeping the Vision of a Secular State 19. An Innocent in America Finds the Ties That Bind 20. “The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the King!” 21. A Life, a Legend, a Legacy Epilogue: In Our Time: Secularism Under Siege Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
The late Ray Argyle was a journalist and media consultant. His articles appeared in such magazines as Reader's Digest, France Today, and World War II History. He lived in Kingston, Ontario.

Review :
“Ray Argyle is an author who writes exceptionally fascinating stories on social and cultural change.”—Toronto Globe and Mail “Holyoake and his influence on the development of almost every modern progressive cause has been a secret kept for too long within the humanist movement. Argyle's scrupulously researched historical analysis brings this at last to light in both a scholarly and accessible way.”— Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, Humanists UK