The author Ray Argyle discusses his new book Inventing Secularism: The Radical Life of George Jacob Hollyoake (McFarland Books, 2021), with Joseph Planta.

Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Inventing Secularism

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British

Ray Argyle joins me again. The prolific author has just published a new biography, Inventing Secularism: The Radical Life of George Jacob Hollyoake. The life of Hollyoake, as you’ll hear Ray say shortly is an important one. Hollyoake’s 19th century life has some relevance to ours in the 21st. At the age of 25, Hollyoake, upon release from an English prison, was determined to end religion’s control over daily life. He invented the word secularism, at a time when the church and state, in England, weren’t separate. We get a sense of what drove Hollyoake’s life and work, and how he also was a campaigner for public education, freedom of the press, women’s rights, universal suffrage, and the cooperative movement. This is the first modern biography of George Hollyoake, a figure that Ray has found admiration in. He’ll tell us shortly about how the rise of religious extremism and populist authoritarianism may put secularism at risk in other parts of the world today. Visit www.rayargyle.com for more information. This new book is published by McFarland Books. It’s fitting that Ray is the last guest of this, my seventeenth year of the podcast. He was an early guest back in 2004 when I started the show, in fact he was on show number 16. Today is his sixth appearance on the program. Ray’s not only a good friend, but a remarkably productive writer. He’s written biographies of Scott Joplin, de Gaulle, Joey Smallwood, and others, including a novel, a memoir, and a children’s book. All this after a career in journalism, and then a successful career in communications and consulting. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Ray Argyle; Mr. Argyle, good morning.

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