Hümanist Yahudiliğin Temel İlkeleri
The Basic Principles of Humanistic Judaism

Summary/Abstract: https://doi.org/10.55709/tetkikdergisi.2022.2.54Considered one of the Contemporary Jewish denominations by the North American Jewish Federations, Humanist Judaism was founded in the United States in 1963 under the leadership of Rabbi Sherwin Theodore Wine (d. 2007). Sherwin Wine passed through the education of Conservative Judaism in her childhood and Reformist Judaism in her youth. However, towards the end of his youth, there were some breaks in his vision of God. These breaks; The demonstrability of God has been realized as to whether a consistent definition of God can be made. Wine, who has a positivist thought, explained her views on this subject with the concept of ignostism. In Ignostic thinking, which first emerged with Wine, it is prioritized to make a consistent definition in a scientific framework by subjecting the arguments to the method of experimentation and observation in order for an argument to be sound. It is somewhat difficult to make such an examination in the conception of God, since it addresses the metaphysical realm. In this respect, it is unnecessary to talk about God, since, according to Humanist Judaism, a consistent definition of God that satisfies reason and logic cannot be made. “God exists.” or “There is no God.” Humanist Judaism, refraining from using such an expression, only says, "We don't know anything about God." enough to say. The idea of Godless Judaism, which parallels the gnostic thought, forms the basic doctrines of humanist Judaism. As a matter of fact, Humanist Jews think that Judaism is not based on a divine origin. Accordingly, elements such as common Jewish history, culture, consciousness and self are placed at the center of religion rather than religious sensitivities. The ignostic point of view, which manifests itself with the imagination of God in humanist Judaism, has an intense effect in both metaphysical, ontological and practical fields. As a matter of fact, Humanistic Judaism is located on a plane far from the line of Traditional Judaism on issues such as Jewish identity, prophecy, scripture, creation, and death. These views adopted by the sect have been criticized by various Jewish communities, and members of this sect are, atheists, agnostics, etc., has been accused. The study examined the doctrines adopted by Humanist Judaism and the reflections of these doctrines in the metaphysical field. In addition, to explore Humanist Judaism, which has emerged recently, from a closer perspective, after the necessary literature review, structures such as IISHJ, SHJ, HuJews, and Sunday Schools established within the sect, and the studies of these organizations are presented to the reader. The study examines the fundamental doctrines of Humanist Judaism and the thoughts and concepts that lay the groundwork for these doctrines from a closer perspective.

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