Maxwell Institute Podcast #45— How (Not) to Be Secular, with James K. A. Smith [MIPodcast]
31 snips
May 10, 2016 
James K. A. Smith, a philosophy professor and author, dives into the intriguing world of belief and secularism. He unpacks Charles Taylor's exploration of how societal plausibility conditions have shifted since 1500, making belief more contestable today. Smith explains the late medieval social imaginary and its enchantments, discusses the impacts of the Reformation on politics, and critiques the simplistic narratives of secularism. He also reflects on how Christianity can respond to pluralism, inviting deeper faith engagement and acknowledging the haunting sense of transcendence in contemporary culture.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Reformation Fueled Disenchantment
- Rejection of sacramentalism and enchantment after the Reformation flattened the world and reduced 'magic' to 'black magic'.
- Smith argues this unwittingly began the broader disenchantment that enabled a scientific social imaginary.
Secularism Is Not Just Subtraction
- The subtraction story claims secularism simply strips away superstition, leaving a rational natural world.
- Taylor rejects this, arguing secularism is a contested social imaginary shaped by prior commitments, not a neutral endpoint.
Apologetics Sometimes Mirrors The Secular Frame
- Many Christian apologists have unknowingly adopted modernist assumptions, making their defenses less effective.
- Smith warns this often concedes too much to secular methodologies and undermines robust Christian witness.
James K. A. Smith is professor of philosophy at Calvin College and author of