S8: E3 The Church in a Secular Age with Andrew Root

Charles Taylor's Sources of the Self is a comprehensive exploration of the development of the self in Western thought. The book traces the evolution of self-understanding from ancient Greece to the modern era, examining how different philosophical and religious traditions have shaped our conceptions of identity. Taylor argues that the modern self is characterized by a unique sense of autonomy and individuality, but also by a profound sense of alienation and fragmentation. He explores the implications of these developments for our understanding of ethics, politics, and religion. The book is highly influential in the fields of philosophy, sociology, and religious studies. It's a challenging but rewarding read for anyone interested in the history of ideas and the nature of the self.

In this book, Andrew Root addresses the challenges faced by congregations in the accelerated pace of modern life. He argues that the recent push for innovation in churches has led to an acceleration of congregational life, stripping the sacred out of time and resulting in burnout and depression. Root encourages congregations to reimagine change and move from relevance to resonance, emphasizing the importance of relationships with God and each other to restore sacredness to time.

In this book, Hartmut Rosa argues that modern society's relentless pursuit of control and predictability has led to a distorted relationship with the world. Rosa posits that the most profound connections arise from embracing the unpredictable and uncontrollable nature of life, which he terms 'resonance'. He examines how this concept affects various aspects of human life, including family, work, politics, and religion, highlighting the importance of acknowledging and preserving the inherent uncontrollability of the world.