---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All modern secularity requires is that…"
description: "\"All modern secularity requires is that our public norms and the arguments for them not presuppose common acceptance of Jewish or Christian revelation, ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/david-novak-10709_acceptance_all-modern-secularity-requires-is-that-o_2426173.jpg"
---

#  All modern secularity requires is that our public norms…

![“All modern secularity requires is that our public norms and the arguments for them not presuppose common acceptance of Jewish or Christian revelation, even if these public norms are consistent with a particular community's revelation and the authoritative teachings it derives from that revelation.” quote by David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/david-novak-10709_acceptance_all-modern-secularity-requires-is-that-o_2426173.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/david-novak-10709_acceptance_all-modern-secularity-requires-is-that-o_2426173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7cb/david-novak-10709_acceptance_all-modern-secularity-requires-is-that-o_2426173.jpg)

> “All modern secularity requires is that our public norms and the arguments for them not presuppose common acceptance of Jewish or Christian revelation, even if these public norms are consistent with a particular community's revelation and the authoritative teachings it derives from that revelation.”

[David Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-novak/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Secular societies must base public norms on arguments that do not assume any specific religious revelation, even if those norms align with a particular faith's teachings.

**In simple terms:** Public norms should be justified without assuming any one religion's truth.

Key Takeaway

Build inclusive policies that appeal to shared reason.

Themes

secularism public policy religion inclusion

Mood

thoughtful balanced

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- lawmaking
- education curricula
- public debates
- interfaith dialogue

Key Concepts

pluralism normative justification religious neutrality

Questions to Reflect On

- How can societies respect religious traditions while maintaining secular neutrality?
- What criteria ensure public norms are truly inclusive?

A Different Perspective

Balancing respect for religious traditions with secular neutrality can be politically contentious.

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