The major obstacle to a religious renewal is the intellectual classes, who are highly influential and tend to view religion as primitive superstition. They believe that science has left atheism as the only respectable intellectual stance.

Robert Bork’s quote addresses the tension between religion and the intellectual classes, particularly those who hold science in high regard. He argues that the intellectual elites—such as scholars, scientists, and thinkers—often view religion as primitive superstition and thus dismiss it as unworthy of serious intellectual consideration. According to Bork, these groups have significant influence on societal beliefs and have contributed to the idea that atheism is the only respectable intellectual stance. This mindset, he suggests, represents a major obstacle to any genuine religious renewal or revival.

The phrase “science has left atheism as the only respectable intellectual stance” points to the way in which modern scientific advancements and discoveries have often been interpreted as incompatible with faith or religious beliefs. In this view, scientific explanations of the world, from evolution to cosmology, challenge traditional religious doctrines, leading many intellectuals to adopt atheism as a logical and rational alternative. Bork’s critique highlights how scientific materialism can lead to the marginalization of spiritual and religious perspectives in intellectual circles.

Bork also implies that the intellectual classes, by dismissing religion, contribute to a broader cultural disenchantment with faith. He suggests that this elitism is problematic because it creates an intellectual environment that stifles genuine dialogue between science and religion, limiting the possibility of reconciling the two. For Bork, religious renewal cannot take place if influential thinkers perpetuate the view that faith is intellectually inferior or incompatible with modern knowledge.

The origin of this quote reflects Bork’s concerns as a jurist, author, and conservative thinker, particularly his critique of secularism and the dominance of scientific rationalism in modern thought. Throughout his career, Bork was vocal about the dangers of a society that elevates science and atheism at the expense of religion and moral values. His statement is a part of his broader critique of modern intellectualism, which he believed often disregarded the value of religious traditions and moral frameworks in favor of a purely materialistic worldview.