A society purged of religious belief and practice was the Utopia envisioned by “New Ageists” like Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, but this era of peace, love, harmony and understanding has not materialized, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat told a Nov. 20 audience of 600 at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre. 

Furthermore, a young generation brought up in this religious wasteland is beginning to question the validity of secularism, he pointed out.

“In fact, the world is more bitterly divided than ever, and existential unhappiness, anxiety and depression are on the rise, and a new generation, brought up without any religious knowledge, is beginning to ask if secularism is a mistake,” he said.  

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A columnist for the New York Times since 2009, Douthat is the author of several books, the latest of which is Believe: Why Everyone Should be Religious in which he contends that a religious world view makes more sense that an atheistic or secular one. The book has been described as a road map and sign post for those who have arrived at the crossroads and are uncertain which direction to take in their quest for alternatives to secularism.

Douthat’s Ottawa lecture was the first of a series organized by Cardus, the non-partisan think tank, to celebrate  25 years of exploring ideas — through research and dialogue — on how society’s institutions can work together for the common good, and to honour the legacy of the late Senator Ian Shugart, whose 40-year career in Canada’s public service was marked by significant accomplishments and a deep commitment to the values of his Christian faith. 

“The arc of secularization has paused in North America,” Douthat said, cautioning however, that this does not mean a sudden religious revival. 

“When I started at the New York Times in 2009, the Western world was adrift in a sea of secularism. A whole generation grew up without any kind of religious training or knowledge, but in the last five years or so, this cultural landscape has shifted.”

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Douthat explained that the ravages of COVID-19, the ubiquitous presence of technology, the rise of AI and the “strange” geopolitical realities of today have led to a new interest in alternatives to secularism including religion, both traditional and “new age” interpretations of spirituality.

Summarizing the central argument of Believe: Why Everyone Should be Religious, he said a religious perspective is more rational and reasonable than a secular or atheistic one, not merely because of the social benefits of religion, but because of “converging lines.” These include the fact many people experience a supernatural or mystical reality, including near death experiences, that cannot be explained away by science; also, the “fine tuning” which points to a higher power or divine creator and intentional design behind the universe rather than random chance.

Making the case for enduring and resilient religions such as Christianity and Hinduism, he said they provide better answers to the ultimate questions of the meaning of life than the vague New Age spirituality, since traditional religions offer a well-established system of belief and moral standards that serve humanity well, while the New Age alternatives give more superficial self-help advice.

Asked about faith in public life — the central concern of Cardus — Douthat said history has proven the dangers of using political power to enforce religious conformity. He emphasized the importance of challenging our own political party or tribe when it goes against the teachings of our religion.

While introducing the lecture and discussion series, Ray Pennings, executive vice president and co-founder of Cardus, paid tribute to Shugart after whom the series is named.

“Ian Shugart is hardly a household name, but Ian’s 40-year career in political and public service positions culminated in his serving as the 24th clerk of the Privy Council from 2019 to 2021,” Pennings said. “Both Cardus and I were privileged to count Ian as a friend, and it seemed appropriate to celebrate our 25th anniversary this week by honouring Ian’s memory.” 

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Penning noted that even though the Senator was modest and would not have wanted such accolades, it’s important to remember leaders like Shugart as models for the next generation of leaders.  

“In a culture where faith is often misunderstood as something personal and private, the next generation needs to see exemplars whose careers demonstrate that faith can remain an anchoring influence for public service,” he said.