Author Michael Horton discusses the roots of 'spiritual but not religious' trends, tracing ancient shamanist practices in Plato, Alexandria, and modern beliefs. He challenges assumptions about secular culture and spirituality. The podcast explores divine frenzy in Greek enlightenment, evolution of the shaman figure, and the relationship between Christian theology and Platonic philosophy.
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Quick takeaways
Autonomy drives 'spiritual but not religious' trend, rooted in internal desire for self-guidance.
Ancient shamanist practices influence modern spirituality, challenging assumptions about secular culture hostility.
Deep dives
Understanding the Autonomy Motive
The podcast delves into the concept of autonomy as a driving force behind human behavior and spirituality. It emphasizes that the desire for autonomy is not external but internal, rooted in the inclination to follow one's own inner light rather than external guidance. This autonomy motive is highlighted as a key factor influencing how individuals think, act, and resist God.
Tracing Spiritual Trends through History
The discussion shifts towards exploring the intellectual history of spirituality, particularly the recurring theme of 'spiritual but not religious' throughout Western culture. The podcast introduces the Origins Michael Horton's new book, 'Shaman and Sage: The Roots of Spiritual but Not Religious in Antiquity,' which traces the development of this phenomenon from ancient times to modern contexts.
Impact of Hermeticism on Modernity
The episode delves into the influence of Hermeticism on the Renaissance, the rise of modern science, and contemporary spiritual movements like New Age beliefs. It highlights the significant role of Hermeticism in shaping modern scientific rationality, emphasizing the intertwined relationship between Christianity and Hermeticism in historical and intellectual developments.
Challenges in Modern Society and the Church
The discussion addresses the prevailing themes of autonomy, spirituality, and disenchantment in contemporary society, questioning the assumptions of secular culture as neutral. It calls for a critical reflection on how internal secularization influences individuals and potentially challenges traditional Christian beliefs, urging humility and self-awareness in navigating the complexities of autonomy and spirituality in the church and broader cultural contexts.
Caleb Wait, Sola Media’s Director of Content, interviews Michael Horton on his new book, “Shaman and Sage: The Roots of “Spiritual but Not Religious” in Antiquity. Many preachers today appeal to headlines that announce a surge in spirituality as if this news offers the church encouragement. We tend to think of modern secular culture as hostile to spirituality—an atheistic world of soulless materialism. So if modern people now want spirituality, Christians often think, that must mean people will find their way toward Christianity. This thesis, among many others, is challenged by Horton in the first volume of his new series on the Divine-Self.
Listen in as Horton shares how this new intellectual history of “spiritual but not religious” as a phenomenon in Western culture is the biggest project he’s ever undertaken. Horton shows how ancient shamanist practices and philosophies appear in Plato, schools in Alexandria, the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, and more, revealing to us that modern practices and beliefs are far more ancient than we think.
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Featuring: Michael Horton, Bob Hiller, Walter Strickland, and Justin Holcomb
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