Secularism is a philosophy that focuses on men rather than on God. Renaissance artists and authors placed great stress on the importance of the individual. Secularists challenged the Church’s teachings and criticized misuse of power. Humanism also focused on the individual by looking to the present time instead of thinking about the afterlife. Individual thought and free thinking was definitely a big change in how people viewed themselves and the world around them.
Renaissance humanism is the revival/ re-interest of the ancient arts and preferring human qualities rather than the divine ones. Secularism is also almost the same as it also laid more importance on the state rather than the religious aspect of human society.
Explanation:
Renaissance is the 'rebirth' or revival of the classics, first in Italy and then spread to the other parts of Europe. Humanism is the approach or outlook of thoughts that gives importance to the humanistic values/ elements rather than the divine beings. It is basically the preference of humans over divine elements, with human qualities having more importance than the supernatural ones. The rediscovery of the studying of the ideas and arts of the past civilizations occur in this movement, with a newfound interest in the ancients. Renaissance humanism dominated the Renaissance era with its preference of ancient texts over the contemporary philosophy and arts.
Secularism, on the other hand, fully separates the state and the religious aspects of the society or human community. There is no connection whatsoever in the two. The participation of religion is allowed but not in a dominating way. It ensures that there is no extreme power of religion or act of religious beliefs over the affairs of the state.
Thus, it can then be concluded that the Renaissance humanism and secularism have a sort of some similarity in their division/ preference of human qualities rather than the divine/ religious ones.
