Introduction to Atheism

In the Introduction, Wrobel and Skonieczny provide a starting point for the rethinking of atheism, something which is much needed in the current historical moment, characterized as it is by the conflicting forces of secularization and the “return of religion”. As a starting point for this reconsideration, they formulate three questions: (1) What is atheism, especially in its philosophical form, which has been dubbed the “atheism of the concept”? (2) Are we living in a post-atheistic age and, if so, what does this entail? (3) To what form of atheism should we remain faithful today? The authors then proceed to stress the importance of rethinking Modernity—its main characteristics, main thinkers and remnants—as a starting point for the analysis of atheism, showing also that only through such a rethinking can we invent new modes of (atheist) life. The Introduction also contains short summaries of the chapters gathered in this volume.