{"id":59563,"date":"2016-09-27T09:26:46","date_gmt":"2016-09-27T14:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=59563"},"modified":"2026-10-14T13:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T18:55:52","slug":"podcast-238-life-secular-age","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/character\/self-improvement\/podcast-238-life-secular-age\/","title":{"rendered":"Podcast #238: Life in a Secular Age"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s said that we live in a secular age.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what does that mean? Is it simply that people are less religious or is it something more?<\/span><\/p>\n

Philosophy professor Charles Taylor wrote a 900-page tome called A Secular Age<\/i><\/a> in which he argues that secularity has more to do with a feeling of uncertainty about truth that pervades a culture in which all ideas are contested and contestable. <\/span><\/p>\n

My guest today on the show wrote a reader\u2019s guide to Taylor\u2019s epic work. His name is James K. A. Smith (he goes by Jamie). He\u2019s a Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College and his book is called How (Not) to Be Secular<\/i><\/a>. Today on the show, Jamie and I discuss what it means to live in a secular age, how we got here, and why it creates so much anxiety. Whether you\u2019re a believer, agnostic, or atheist, you\u2019re going to find some fascinating insights about today\u2019s culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jamie and I also discuss his latest book called You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit<\/i><\/a> in which he argues that our lives are filled with “liturgies” whether we know it or not, and how not being mindful of these liturgies can result in living a life you’re not wholly satisfied with. <\/span><\/p>\n

Put on your philosophical and sociological hard hats. We\u2019re digging deep into the mine of human existence in this thought-provoking but accessible episode on secularity and spirituality.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s said that we live in a secular age. But what does that mean? Is it simply that people are less religious or is it something more? Philosophy professor Charles Taylor wrote a 900-page tome called A Secular Age in which he argues that secularity has more to do with a feeling of uncertainty about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":195744,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[502,156,42388],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59563","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-character","category-podcast","category-self-improvement"],"featured_image_urls":{"large":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/238-538x280.png","medium_large":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/238-768x432.png","aom":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/238-372x230.png","reactor-320":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/238-320x180.png","reactor-640":"https:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/238-640x360.png"},"yoast_head":"\nPodcast: Life in a Secular Age With James K.A. 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