Literature and Secular and Religious Humanism

There has long been debates generally on the status of literature as to its instructive and pleasing role. This discussion still holds ground as human life is a motley of ever-changing experiences and observations which shape and reshape thoughts of the readers and writers. Despite significant changes in life styles worldwide, human interest in literary productions has not waned as different literary genres have over the years witnessed resurgence in humanism. This research is an attempt to know afresh the relationship between literature and humanism because the global village has been witnessing the breakdown of Grand narrative and the emergence of Petite narratives. The umbrella term humanism too has broadly been classified into secular humanism and religious humanism. This research therefore investigates whether or not secular and religious humanism are categories opposed to each other and whether literature is a surrogate theology, or it is the other of religion. So, discussed also are thoughts on the secularity and religiosity of literature.