287:, accredited by the BHA, able to conduct secular ceremonies to mark important events in the lives of the non-religious in the Midlands. Humanist celebrants are not yet recognised in law for weddings in England and Wales and so most couples will need a registry office ceremony as well as their Humanist wedding. Most non-religious ceremonies are funerals, which to Humanists represent the chance to celebrate a life rather than mourn a death. Baby namings, the non-religious equivalent of christenings, and same sex affirmations are becoming increasingly popular with those who chose to live without religion in their lives.
48:
101:
Education, which was the first to abandon the aim of
Christian nurture and to require that a multi-faith approach, including non-religious 'stances for living' such as Humanism should begin in primary schools. However, the group is still not allowed representation on Birmingham SACRE, whose most recent syllabus makes no reference to secular Humanism in spite of the recommendations of the QCDA.
333:(1924-2014), was a former president of the group; developed the concept of Humanism as a life stance in the 1970s as part of an attempt to establish a clear identity for Humanism, in order to gain recognition and respect for non-religious beliefs so that their study might begin in the primary school; a UK signatory of the Secular Humanist Declaration issued in 1980; a vice president of the BHA
238:
in 2016, member Adrian Bailey created a "Love Your
Neighbour" scheme to encourage the people of Birmingham to do small acts of kindness for their neighbours to show that the city had not given in to hate and division. The campaign was joined by various faith and community leaders and was backed by
184:
without being
Humanist: Humanism requires the positive desire to help others, to improve the quality of life for others and also to accept that there are people who do have a religious belief, without insulting that belief or that person for their belief." Its members therefore believe that, since
100:
Most years since 1990 the group has organised an annual day school or conference on a subject of topical interest, in addition to the regular monthly programme with speakers, discussions and visits. The group was involved in devising the content of the 1975 Birmingham Agreed
Syllabus for Religious
250:
stepping down from the committee after around 40 years of service and at this event the Jane Wynne
Willson Celebrant Training Bursary was announced, to be awarded annually to help more people in the West Midlands, especially those from low income socio-economic backgrounds and currently
323:(1927–2010), renounced his orders as a priest in 1981 yet became Professor of Biblical Studies at Birmingham University in 1991; a president of the group. With rare expertise in both the Old and New Testaments, he was a proponent of the
218:
into 60% of their libraries. Members have also given talks on
Humanism to sixth form, and GCSE students and have taken up invitations to conduct the occasional school assembly. The group provides a scholarship at the
213:
Since the millennium, the group has provided the
Religious Studies departments of every secondary school in the West Midlands with a copy of the "Humanist Perspectives" teaching resource and has put free copies of
343:
from 1993 to 1996, and its vice-president until 2002; best known for her popular book "Funerals
Without God" and others relating to non-religious naming and wedding ceremonies, and on bringing up children
1314:
1319:
104:
The group celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by holding a day conference: "Humanism: the Way
Forward" on 7 June 2014, at which Colin Campbell, Tony Brierley, Pavan Dhaliwal,
302:(1931-2015), the group's president in the 1990s; instrumental in founding the Birmingham (later British) Pregnancy Advisory Service; producer of the sex education film
1114:
913:
146:
were placed there in 2015 by Adrian Bailey. Newsletters, programmes and AGM material going back to the 1970s were placed in the Local
Studies Collection at the
786:
243:
and the "No Outsiders" inclusivity and equality programme and tried to counteract the misinformed homophobic protests outside several Birmingham schools.
67:
In its early years, under the leadership of Fred Lyne, the group was active in the campaign to allow parents the legal right to remove their children from
1309:
496:
161:
began as a movement within Christianity to "purify and renew" it however, today, humanists are a large and growing population of ethically concerned but
327:, which postulated that the first gospel was that of Mark and that this was then used as source material by the authors of the Matthew and Luke gospels.
858:
361:
340:
681:
356:
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376:
116:
641:
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433:"The 2007 Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education: a new direction for statutory religious education in England and Wales"
1234:
1220:
1206:
1138:
1055:
1020:
985:
950:
749:
313:(1923–2009), former group treasurer; one of the founders of the Birmingham Artists Committee; influential in the foundation of the
415:
744:. Silvano Levy, Theodore Melville, Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery. Birmingham : Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery. 2000.
1304:
480:
697:
127:(Birmingham), the Asian Rationalist Society (Britain), Lichfield Walsall and South Staffordshire Humanist Group (LWASS),
74:
In 1980 it held a joint public meeting with the newly formed humanist group for gay people at which one of its members,
29:
1289:
917:
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773:
366:
371:
299:
132:
120:
105:
75:
60:
The group's first chairman was 22-year-old Colin Campbell, who later became Emeritus Professor of Sociology at
866:
47:
339:, a vice president of the BHA; has been an officer of Birmingham Humanists for over 30 years; co-chair of
304:
228:
21:
185:
they have only one life, it is their responsibility to live it to the full, whilst trying to improve the
888:
247:
147:
139:
381:
220:
158:
678:
124:
1156:
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657:
460:
336:
284:
202:
201:
that has resulted in the immense diversity of life on earth, and deplore recent attempts to make
1175:
848:
Stopes-Roe (1988a), "Humanism as a life stance", New Humanist, Vol. 103, (2) October, pp. 19-21.
504:
346:
William Wynne Willson (1932–2010), mathematician, author, pianist and musical website designer
165:
people and the group is open to anyone who believes it is possible and desirable to live a good
945:. British Humanist Association (Sixth revised ed.). London: British Humanist Association.
432:
1244:
1230:
1216:
1202:
1144:
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324:
235:
37:
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143:
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109:
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which are available to its members. A catalogue of titles can be found on their website.
1182:
685:
630:
484:
419:
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190:
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61:
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for everyone. They appreciate that a truly secular society is the only way to give full
51:
The Humanist symbol of a "happy human" modified so as to represent a group of two or more
715:
310:
1298:
1082:
Ptolemy through the looking-glass : a proof of his theorem using transformations
464:
400:
240:
162:
68:
412:
702:
314:
33:
477:
173:
and tries to make sense of life using reason, experience and shared human values.
716:
Calthorpe Clinic Medical Seminar 26 September 2007: Forty Years of Legal Abortion
24:, England, at a meeting convened by Dr Anthony Brierley. It changed its name to
260:
224:
170:
115:
The group launched its first website in 2003 and is currently affiliated to the
1199:
Seasons of Life: Prose and Poetry for Secular Ceremonies and Private Reflection
787:"Birmingham-born artist Trevor Denning dies", Birmingham Post, 26 October 2009
448:
264:
239:
the local press. In 2018, members of the group were quick to lend support to
1274:
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526:
456:
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759:
272:
198:
551:
138:
Documents relating to the early history of the group were deposited at the
1284:
1279:
1080:
940:
1128:
1045:
1010:
977:
To love and to cherish : a guide to non-religious wedding ceremonies
975:
739:
268:
194:
1262:
1133:. K. E. Selkirk, William Wynne Willson. Mathematical Association. 1989.
497:"The Non-statutory National Framework for Religious Education, QCA 2004"
942:
Funerals without God : a practical guide to non-religious funerals
181:
177:
41:
1015:. British Humanist Association. London: British Humanist Association.
590:
36:
in 2017. It holds most of its meetings at the rooms of the Community
1227:
Humanist Perspectives 2: Resources on Humanism for Secondary Teachers
259:
The group has a large collection of books and some DVDs on humanism,
81:
Later that decade it started producing a newsletter variously titled
552:"Lichfield Walsall & South Staffordshire Humanist Group - LWASS"
246:
On 26 September 2021 the group held a special meeting to celebrate
556:
Lichfield Walsall & South Staffordshire Humanist Group - LWASS
46:
575:
231:
and several charities involved in domestic violence prevention.
166:
1130:
Fifty per cent proof : an anthology of mathematical humour
176:
As stated on the group's website, "a person can easily be both
28:(Brum Hums) in 2000 and voted to become a Partner Group of the
1280:
Lichfield Walsall and South Staffordshire Humanist Group LWASS
1012:
New arrivals : a guide to non-religious naming ceremonies
980:. British Humanist Association. British Humanist Association.
798:
197:
or belief. They understand that human beings are part of the
1047:
Parenting without God : experiences of a humanist mother
478:"The Birmingham Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education 2007"
295:
A number of famous Humanists have been members of the group.
1241:
The Case for Secularism: A Neutral State in an Open Society
142:
in London by Anthony Brierley in 2008, and papers of Dr
251:
underrepresented groups, train as Humanist celebrants.
1239:
Norman, Richard; British Humanist Association (2007).
234:
After the divisions and acrimony created during the
131:
Atheist & Humanist Group, Walsall Humanists and
223:in Uganda and have given financial support to the
1315:Organisations based in the West Midlands (county)
914:"BHA distinguished supporters Jane Wynne Willson"
135:Atheist, Secular & Humanist Society (UBASH).
706:, London, 4 April 2010. Retrieved on 2010-6-10.
576:Atheist, Secular & Humanist Society (UBASH)
20:was formed on 23 May 1962 at the Arden Hotel,
729:13 January 1971 "A sex-act film for children"
8:
205:seem a scientifically credible alternative.
1320:Skeptic organisations in the United Kingdom
585:
583:
1113:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
1050:. Nottingham: Educational Heretics Press.
1215:. London: Rationalist Press Association.
1201:. London: Rationalist Press Association.
1243:. London: British Humanist Association.
1229:. London: British Humanist Association.
698:"The political case for 'baby-namings' "
362:International Humanist and Ethical Union
341:International Humanist and Ethical Union
413:University of York Sociology Department
393:
227:Foundation to aid its campaign against
1154:
1106:
765:
357:All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
1176:Sibelius music: William Wynne Willson
403:News and Notes, (July / August 1962).
123:(NSS). It also has close links with
7:
377:Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association
117:Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association
1290:Asian Rationalist Society (Britain)
1275:Aston (University) Humanist Society
741:Surrealism in Birmingham, 1935-1954
799:"The Times & The Sunday Times"
501:webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
193:to everybody, regardless of their
14:
1310:Organizations established in 1962
624:"KEHS Religious Studies visitors"
283:Several members of the group are
859:"A Secular Humanist Declaration"
614:BHA news July/August 2008 page 3
431:Barnes, L. Philip (April 2008).
1079:Willson, William Wynne (2012).
437:Journal of Beliefs & Values
209:Activities and charitable work
1:
1225:Mason, Marilyn (ed.) (2005).
679:"Humanist and Civil Funerals"
1044:Willson, Jane Wynne (1997).
1009:Willson, Jane Wynne (1991).
974:Willson, Jane Wynne (1988).
939:Willson, Jane Wynne (2006).
828:Times Higher Education (THE)
824:"Michael Goulder, 1927-2010"
32:, which changed its name to
1336:
112:were the main speakers.
1213:Humanism: An Introduction
449:10.1080/13617670801954601
367:Leicester Secular Society
229:female genital mutilation
150:by John Edwards in 2017.
78:, was the main speaker.
18:Birmingham Humanist Group
372:National Secular Society
221:Isaac Newton High School
133:University of Birmingham
121:National Secular Society
1270:Uganda Humanist Schools
1197:Collins, Nigel (2000).
863:www.secularhumanism.org
1161:: CS1 maint: others (
772:: CS1 maint: others (
591:"Birmingham Humanists"
154:Principles and beliefs
52:
22:New Street, Birmingham
1305:Humanist associations
1211:Herrick, Jim (2003).
889:"Dr Harry Stopes-Roe"
654:"Humanist ceremonies"
263:, atheism, religion,
171:superstitious beliefs
169:without religious or
148:Library of Birmingham
140:Bishopsgate Institute
50:
1181:29 June 2011 at the
595:Birmingham Humanists
382:North East Humanists
199:evolutionary process
93:and, most recently,
26:Birmingham Humanists
629:5 July 2009 at the
483:22 May 2009 at the
418:8 June 2010 at the
125:Skeptics in the Pub
91:Birmingham Humanist
920:on 30 October 2010
869:on 26 October 2017
803:www.thetimes.co.uk
684:2010-04-02 at the
660:on 9 February 2013
337:Jane Wynne Willson
248:Jane Wynne-Willson
203:intelligent design
69:collective worship
53:
1249:978-0-901825-83-4
1092:978-0-9558042-3-6
325:Farrer hypothesis
236:Brexit referendum
38:Development trust
1327:
1285:Walsall Atheists
1266:
1265:
1263:Official website
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331:Harry Stopes-Roe
216:The God Delusion
144:Harry Stopes-Roe
129:Aston University
119:(GALHA) and the
110:Kate Smurthwaite
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321:Michael Goulder
293:
291:Notable members
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187:quality of life
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62:York University
58:
44:, Birmingham.
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830:. 4 March 2010
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918:the original
908:
896:. Retrieved
893:Humanists UK
892:
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871:. Retrieved
867:the original
862:
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844:
832:. Retrieved
827:
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806:. Retrieved
802:
793:
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734:
727:Daily Mirror
726:
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703:The Guardian
701:
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662:. Retrieved
658:the original
648:
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619:
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598:. Retrieved
594:
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559:. Retrieved
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534:. Retrieved
530:
521:
509:. Retrieved
505:the original
500:
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443:(1): 75–83.
440:
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315:Ikon Gallery
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34:Humanists UK
25:
17:
15:
300:Martin Cole
261:agnosticism
225:Waris Dirie
1299:Categories
388:References
305:Growing Up
285:celebrants
279:Ceremonies
265:philosophy
1157:cite book
1109:cite book
1101:801924395
961:230414858
768:cite book
642:July 2016
465:145690783
457:1361-7672
273:sociology
1179:Archived
1149:20528158
1066:39115839
1031:28963953
996:17444132
760:50408749
682:Archived
627:Archived
481:Archived
416:Archived
351:See also
269:politics
195:religion
191:equality
159:Humanism
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