Citing the likes of C.S. Lewis to Tara Isabella Burton, many have pointed out that our present crisis has only made clearer what we already knew to be true: that we are mortal beings. Our bodies are fragile, perishable, and will not last forever in their present condition. But the pandemic has also confirmed some […]
I’m Doing Coronavirus Better Than You
This one was written by Shaun Roach. Coronavirus has turned out to be the largest religious (anti-)gathering of our day. The holy voices are loud and clear. Do not touch your face! Do not shake hands! Do not go out to eat! It feels like fourth-grade-Catholic-school-English class all over again. If you’re like me, you’re […]
A Few Key Takeaways from the Church of Workism (Plus One Gamechanger)
Several years ago we posted a short tongue-in-cheek guide to current colloquialisms, guessing at the emotional content behind ten phrases that had come into common usage. For example the tautology “It is what it is” translates more or less to “I can’t stand this particular situation I’m in. Actually, I hate it and don’t want […]
Scorekeeping on Valentine’s Day
The book tour continues for #Seculosity! Catch David Zahl as he travels to Richmond, VA, on March 4; Pittsburgh, PA (Ligonier), on March 12; and Colombia, SC, on March 18. He’ll also be presenting at The Virginia Festival of The Book in Charlottesville on March 19. In the meantime, in honor of Cupid’s holiday, here’s a snippet […]
A Tennis-Ball-Shaped Anvil (and Other Things That Weigh on Us)
“It’s no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.” – Andre Agassi Stumbling across Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open was like overhearing a parishioner’s confession to a priest. It doesn’t […]
Another Year Begins: Masked Mandalorians, New Modes of Time Keeping, Awards Season Hypocrisy, Holding Babies, Hating Your Job, Absolving Your Father, and the Boys Who Wear Shorts All Winter
A belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year as the Mockingbird world returns to its regular posting schedule. Lots of great articles came out over the holiday and they’re worth highlighting even if they aren’t timely on January 10. Stay tuned for new podcasts, new magazines, and new posts that are on the way! 1. […]
The Top Theology Books of 2019
Farewell 2019! Lots to love about the books that came out this past year. Several of these are instant classics I’ll be paging through for years to come! As always, feel free to let me know in the comments if I’ve missed a deserving book! I’m always on the hunt for a good read… In […]
Pseudo-Gifts and Peloton
This one comes to us Ryan P. Tinetti: I try not to wade into the ever-rising sea of outrage. The tides turn too quickly, and it’s easy to get washed out. Alas, an issue will occasionally emerge that I just can’t keep from diving in after. One such has been in the news and abuzz […]
Creedal Faith in the Age of Seculosity – David Zahl
Here’s the video of my recent talk from the HWSS Conference in San Diego, which marked the debut of (the rough version of) The Seculosity Creed. I highly doubt I’ll ever make people laugh this hard again–and that’s probably a good thing. Many thanks to the good folks at 1517 for allowing me the opportunity to poke fun.
Creedal Faith in the Age of Seculosity: Dave Zahl from 1517 on Vimeo.
Another Week Ends: Religious Decline, Peloton, Halloween Righteousness, Reformation Day, and Kanye
1a. This week featured a point-counter-point on the religious decline in America. Fewer people are going to church, particularly millennials. Accordingly, Christine Emba sees genuine cause for alarm. Millennials prefer low-cost, substitute religions (read: seculosities!), and the church may not be there as a fallback option in the future: Faith and practice can’t persevere through […]
The Seculosity Creed
Thank you to 1517 for the opportunity to put this bit of sub-Nicene ridiculousness together and then have 400 people recite it in unison…! I’ve made a couple tiny tweaks since then. Probably goes without saying but this was written in a spirit of play and confession, not superiority. A big shoutout to Ben Maddison for his help:
Seculosity and the Future of Guilt Management – David Zahl
From this year’s annual Mockingbird conference in NYC, here is David Zahl speaking about and reading from his new book Seculosity. Topics include Soylent, anxiety, toxic religions, and snow days:
Seculosity and the Future of Guilt Management – David Zahl from Mockingbird on Vimeo.
