Ep. 67: Lessons from the Atheists of Interwar Canada – Elliot Hanowski

Ep. 67: Lessons from the Atheists of Interwar Canada – Elliot Hanowski

From Beyond Atheism Podcast by Atheists United Studios

February 19, 2024 · 1h 12m

About this episode

Elliot Hanowski discusses the atheist and secular movement in interwar Canada and its implications for modern secularists.

In this episode, we’re joined by Elliot Hanowski, a Canadian historian and author of Towards a Godless Dominion: Unbelief in Interwar Canada (McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2023). We discuss the small but vocal atheist and secular movement in 1920s and 1930s Canada. Elliot explains how this period represents an important link between the nineteenth-century freethought movement and the explosive, radical change of the 1960s. We learn how atheist groups developed alliances with socialists and communists and became a part of the free speech movement in “Toronto the Good.” We also reflect on what lessons these past experiences can offer for present-day secularists. Finally, we learn whether a “True Agnostic” can hate religious people. Towards a Godless Dominion: Unbelief in Interwar Canada: https://www.mqup.ca/towards-a-godless-dominion-products-9780228018834.php?page_id=46& Beyond Atheism is produced and distributed by Atheists United Studios: https://www.atheistsunited.org/au-studios

People in this episode

Guest: Elliot Hanowski

Topics covered

  • atheism
  • Canadian history
  • secular movements
  • free speech
  • socialism
  • communism

Keywords

  • atheism
  • Canada
  • secularism
  • history
  • free speech
  • socialism
  • communism

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Atheists United Studios, McGill-Queen’s University Press

Books & works: Towards a Godless Dominion: Unbelief in Interwar Canada

Places: Canada, Toronto

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