{"id":20872,"date":"2019-01-18T22:11:05","date_gmt":"2019-01-19T06:11:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dminlgp\/?p=20872"},"modified":"2019-01-18T22:12:01","modified_gmt":"2019-01-19T06:12:01","slug":"i-am-thoroughly-humbled","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/i-am-thoroughly-humbled\/","title":{"rendered":"I am thoroughly humbled"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Secular Age <\/em>is a\u00a0heavy tome, and a worthy addition to the shelves of important books to own, but not sitting yet on the shelf \u201cimportant books to read.\u201d I\u2019m encouraged by Jason\u2019s admission and sharing of his goal to read through this book slowly over the next decade. Before this program I was not accustomed to books this deep. Is there really books that require you to read so this slowly? Being a practitioner and being trained in SQR3, can\u2019t I just skim and spark notes? However, after reading the companion book to A Secular Age<\/em>, and realizes how deep and hard to follow the explanation book was to this real text, I am thoroughly humbled.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I read the whole companion text cover to cover. And I knew as I was reading it, I was not doing it justice. I moved on from paragraphs and sections in which I grew my vocabulary by reading words outside my typical scope, but not having yet more understanding on the subject. Even this companion book I feel I could be read slowly or reread and reread and continue to have my mind stretched by new ideas. I\u2019m a huge fan of postmodernism. By that I mean it\u2019s one of those topics I love learning and ranting about. I think this gave me some ill-placed confidence as I approached this book. Not only is postmodernism still a concept I am struggling to fully understand, but postmodernism is only place piece of what Charles Taylor and James Smith writes in A Secular Age<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

My big takeaway from this 1st<\/sup> week of our studies, is to find a book that takes me a decade to work through I may not follow Jason and pick this book as my decade book, but I know that I need to (after this program concludes) continue to engage with difficult books like this and do so slowly in a way that reengages.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But I also found it difficult to be able to regurgitate with confidence. Most of the books I read I feel I could turn around and teach a lesson from it or write a summary spark notes takes away. Even as I sit to write this blog and survey the large amounts of material blogs and responses out there and review the reviews of James Smith\u2019s review of A Secular Age<\/em> I have trouble following all the content. This book and topic is truly a monumental work.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But As far as the actual content of this book I found what I was able to grasp to be very helpful. What I found immediately helpful to me was a better understanding of the world secular, and the different levels of secularity as well. Like people who only understand postmodernism as the rejection of absolutes, there is so much more to secularism. What I understand to be secular was really just what Taylor calls Secular2., <\/sub><\/em>which is essentially just subtracting God out of the typical equation. Dr. Sam Keyes on bethinking.org[1]<\/a> explains the that real secularism or secularism3 <\/sub>is \u201cThe defining feature of Secular3<\/sub>\u00a0is not\u00a0what<\/em>\u00a0we believe, but that our\u00a0options<\/em>\u00a0for belief are more numerous, optional and contestable than at any previous time in history. We are\u00a0\u2018caught between myriad options for pursuing meaning, significance and fullness\u2019.\u201d[2]<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

These complexities are a reality. But the christian often thinks they can surpass this whole issue by just relying and quoting Proverbs 3:5-6[3]<\/a>, but they actually fall into lazy thinking and become ignorant to the signs of the age. They become opposite the spirit of the Men of Issachar.[4]<\/a> Christians need to, while still affirming belief in God, be \u201c<\/em>honest about the complexity of belief, resisting spin of all shades, and showing empathy and compassion for those caught painfully in the existential malaise of our secular age.\u201d[5]<\/a> Taylor and Smith point out the wins and losses that this shift of the world\u2019s immanent frame has had to the christian faith. Christendom was not perfect, and in fact, as smith claims oppressive. This is a strong and shocking word, one in which I feel I would get immediate push back from if I shared it among my field of pastors, and one in which I am not prepared to explain how this is actually the case.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

As my title speaks, I am thoroughly humbled by this book, but inspired to keep sharpening my mind to be able to navigate texts like this.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Works Cited<\/p>\n

Keyes, Dr. Sam. \u201cHow (Not) To Be Secular – a Review.\u201d Bethinking.org<\/em>, 19 July 2017, www.bethinking.org\/culture\/how-not-to-be-secular-review.<\/p>\n

Smith, James K. A. How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor<\/em>. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015.<\/p>\n

Taylor, Charles. A Secular Age<\/em>. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2018.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Keyes, Dr. Sam. \u201cHow (Not) To Be Secular – a Review.\u201d Bethinking.org, Last modified July 19, 2017. https:\/\/www.bethinking.org\/culture\/how-not-to-be-secular-review.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Smith, James K. A. How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor<\/em>. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2015. Page 62.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Prov<\/strong>erbs 3:5-6 \u2013 \u201cTrust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. [6] In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.\u201d<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> 1 Chronicles 12:32 –\u00a0\u201c<\/sup><\/strong>from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do\u2014200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Keyes, Dr. Sam. \u201cHow (Not) To Be Secular – a Review.\u201d Bethinking.org, Last modified July 19, 2017. https:\/\/www.bethinking.org\/culture\/how-not-to-be-secular-review.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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