The Circle of Reason
AbbreviationCOR
FormationJan 1, 2000 (Jan 1, 2000) Minneapolis, MN, U.S.
TypeNon-profit org
PurposePromote pluralistic rationalism; discourage ad hominem invective
Region served
International
Exec. Director
Dr. Frank Burton
Websitecircleofreason.org

The Circle of Reason, noted by The Pluralism Project at Harvard as a "promising practice,"[1][2][3] is a Twin Cities, Minnesota-based international society of theists, atheists, conservatives and liberals who espouse the social philosophy of "pluralistic rationalism,"[1][2][3][4][5] which the society describes as "communal commitment to the basic methodological tenets of a reasoning lifestyle (reality's acceptance, assumption's denial, and emotion's mastery)," and which it claims is practiced through "encouraging reasoning thinking, behavior and communication in all people irrespective of their disparate beliefs, backgrounds, and current ideological or tribal affiliations."[4]

Practices of the pluralistic rationalist society have included organizing the theist+atheist "Secular Bible Study" for reasoning dialogues on the cultural and historical context of the Bible,[1][2][6] and "Ancient Greek Peripatetic"-style nature walks combined with "transcultural, transbelief reasoning dialogue" on current social issues;[1] organizing and moderating "Assumptions on the [MN Same-Sex] Marriage Amendment: A Reasoning Forum" for theists, atheists, conservatives & liberals;[7][8] defending a legislator shunned by the Catholic hierarchy for refusing to pass doctrine-based anti-abortion laws;[9] and presenting an address on pluralistic (methodological) rationalism, "Be Sane — Be VERY Sane!" to the "Rally to Restore Sanity Minnesota" at the State Capitol.[10][11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Promising Practice: Finding Common Ground Through Difference," Harvard Pluralism Project. Retrieved November 02, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Secular Bible Study / Circle of Reason" (Media & Interview), Harvard Pluralism Project. Retrieved June 03, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "America's Interfaith Infrastructure: Twin Cities," Harvard Pluralism Project. Retrieved June 03, 2013.
  4. ^ a b The Circle of Reason. Retrieved November 02, 2012.
  5. ^ Cirkel van Rede. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  6. ^ "Secular Bible Study casts wide net," Star Tribune, February 20, 2009. Retrieved November 02, 2012.
  7. ^ "Assumptions on the Marriage Amendment: A Reasoning Forum," Conference Panelist-Speaker Roster, September 20, 2012. Retrieved November 02, 2012.
  8. ^ "With talk of tolerance and equality, one group is still forgotten: atheists," MinnPost, December 11, 2012. Retrieved June 03, 2013.
  9. ^ "Abortion Politics Trump Social Justice at Catholic School," RH Reality Check, February 11, 2009. Retrieved June 03, 2013.
  10. ^ [www.examiner.com/article/the-twin-cities-response-to-the-rally-to-restore-sanity "The Twin Cities' response to the Rally to Restore Sanity" (Speaker Roster, & First Minneapolis Circle of Reason Address Title), Examiner.com, October 29, 2010]. Retrieved June 03, 2013.
  11. ^ First Minneapolis Circle of Reason Address (Transcript), "Be Sane — Be VERY Sane!", Rally to Restore Sanity Minnesota, Minnesota State Capitol Rotunda, October 30, 2010. Retrieved November 02, 2012.
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