Kirjahaku

This intellectual biography reveals Albert Eustace Haydon's growth from a pre-scientific Christianity to a scientific study of religions in light of evolution and pragmatic philosophy. Replacing G. B. Foster in comparative religion at the University of Chicago in 1919, Haydon became one of the most important figures in the development of humanism as a religious movement in North America, providing leadership in the writing of the first Humanist Manifesto in 1933. Today Haydon's writings remain a most important interpretation of religions from a humanist perspective. This work will be valuable to classes which deal with philosophical, religious, social, and intellectual thought in North America since Charles Darwin.

"The Philosopher of Free Religion" presents an intellectual biography of Francis E. Abbot (1836-1903). Abbot was a radical figure in the American free thought tradition. Chapters alternate between biographical periods and the philosophical and theological thought of each period. In the conclusion, an evaluation is presented of Abbot's contributions as a philosopher and member of the Metaphysical Club, in social philosophy, and in serving as the prophet of Free Religion.

This book concludes fifty years of research on the empirical tradition in American liberal religious thought. At the University of Chicago, I wrestled with the issue of how to make pre-scientific religion intelligible in our scientific world. Being a student of B. E. Meland and attracted by H. N. Wieman's philosophy of creative interchange, I initially worked on the key thinkers in the Chicago School from Shailer Mathews to B. E. Meland. This resulted in books on Wieman, A. N. Whitehead (with C. Hartshorne), A. E. Haydon, and The Chicago School: Voices of Liberal Religious Thought (1987). While teaching at the U. of Glasgow in 1982, I began a research project on the empirical tradition in nineteenth century American liberal religious thought. Chauncy Wright led me to F. E. Abbot and the Free Religious Association. The past twenty five years has focused on the empirical tradition in this association, with writings on the thought of F. E. Abbot, W. J. Potter, D. A. Wasson. This work on Minot J. Savage concludes my research on the Free Religious Association. Nearing completion is a work tracing the empirical tradition through the four thinkers in the FRA and eight in the Chicago School.