Composer Notes

It was a challenge for me to get a handle on this movement, because I had to face my own aversion to the somewhat academic word “humanism.” This is mind-bogglingly ironic, because I sincerely value rational thought. After many failed attempts, I was saved by a metaphor – that faith is an ecstatic kite, and humanism is the string which anchors faith to the ground. By keeping faith in its proper sphere, humanism enables faith to thrive and serve in a healthy way! I was suddenly and inexplicably elated by this way of seeing things, imagining vast throngs of humanists, protecting religion from the self-serving dogmas which inevitably creep into unquestioned schools of thought. (I walked around for several days shouting “humanism rocks!”)