"Thoughtful and timely, insightful and compelling, this collection of essays takes humanism in new and needed directions. To be warmly welcomed." --Phil Zuckerman, Professor of Sociology and Secular Studies, Pitzer College, USA, and author of Living the Secular Life (2014) "As humanism grows and develops, the evolving field of humanist studies needs to catch up with both its growing diversity and its intellectual rigor. Professor Pinn is in the vanguard of this endeavor and these essays are an essential contribution to this academic debate." --Andrew Copson, Chief Executive, British Humanist Association, UK "This is classic Tony Pinn, eloquently and effortlessly exploring religion as human meaning making through the prisms of race, religion, ritual and popular culture; criticizing the ways that theism has limited human flourishing and community; and encouraging secular and humanist thinkers to take up a more positive and constructive engagement with the religious, even with the Bible. Such a deeply moral, deeply positive humanism is exactly where we should be at this cultural and political moment, "somewhere," as he puts it, "between absurdity and happiness." --Jeffrey J. Kripal, J.

Newton Rayzor Professor of Religion, Rice University, USA, and author of Esalen: America and the Religion of No Religion.