David Zahl

At the heart of our current moment lies a universal yearning, writes David Zahl, not to be happy or respected so much as enough--what religions call "righteous." To fill the void left by religion, we look to all sorts of everyday activities--from eating and parenting to dating and voting--for the identity, purpose, and meaning once provided on Sunday morning.In our striving, we are chasing a sense of enoughness. But it remains ever out of reach, and the effort and anxiety are burning us out. Seculosity takes a thoughtful yet entertaining tour of American "performancism" and its cousins, highlighting both their ingenuity and mercilessness, all while challenging the conventional narrative of religious decline. Zahl unmasks the competing pieties around which so much of our lives revolve, and he does so in a way that's at points playful, personal, and incisive. Ultimately he brings us to a fresh appreciation for the grace of God in all its countercultural wonder.

Seculosity

Todd Luallen

A quick and easy read highlighting the woes of trying to achieve success through "enoughness" in all aspects of life. The first 6 or 7 chapters outline the various topics in the subtitle individually. With each chapter Zahl presents a society that is overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the Jones's in a variety of ways. At the end of the book he outlines how Christianity has gone wrong by becoming a religion of works (do this, don't do that, serve here, don't associate there, etc.). His solution in the end is for Christianity to once again be a religion of Grace, spending less time talking about God, and more time talking to God. He highlights AA as a good example to follow. A flat organization where everyone that comes in is acknowledging that they are a failure in one way, they are an alcoholic. He says the church would be a much better place if all members were required to walk in on Sunday by acknowledging first that they are sinners. More to the book, for those interested. But I can't say there is much more. This book felt like it could have been an online article instead of a full book. Having said that, I do think Zahl accurately portrays the state of society today. His commentary about the church and works is one that is common among Christian authors going back at least a few decades. I know I've read a few times about the balance between legalism and antinomianism. It's always good to be reminded that we are not saved by our works (Eph. 2:8-9), and yet at the same time we are called to produce good works as a fruit of the Spirit that is in us (James 2:17).

Seculosity

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