For Aeon, the John C. Danforth Center’s own Leigh E. Schmidt writes about symbols of secularism, which aim to counter religion in public life. Schmidt writes that there is a deep history of creating monuments among nonbelievers and atheists: “They wanted to enshrine their commitment to scientific rationality over biblical revelation, their strict construction of church-state separation, and their worldly focus on human happiness in the here and now.” He adds, “Atheists and nonbelievers have also launched new congregational ventures – most prominently, the Sunday Assembly and Oasis – in several cities across the country, and humanist chaplaincies have flowered on a number of college campuses to afford a community for openly secular students.”