That's Just Bad Awe: Nothing But-ery and Other Disenchantments

Awe and wonder, part two: what gets in the way of awe and wonder? We consider certain kinds of reductionisms, including scientific materialist reductionism, as a way that wonder can be dismissed. Are there limits to human knowing? We think so.

 

What In God’s Name continues to celebrate being one year old! We give thanks to you, our loyal, thoughtful, caring, and supportive listeners.

 

Our fall focus on increasing our listenership was a success: thanks to you, our listenership is up 40% since last spring, and 60% from where we started in Season One. Our show is growing. We believe we are offering something valuable to the public conversation, and our growth suggests that we’re not alone in thinking that way. So thank you! We will continue to think about ways to expand our engagement with you, and to introduce our show to new people and groups.

 

If you have any ideas for us, be in touch:

 

Our email: whatingods@ribeye-media.com.

 

Learn more. Our website: www.whatingods.com.

 

What In God’s Name approaches current events and culture not from a partisan political angle, not from a money and economics angle, not from a technological and scientific angle, but from a theological and philosophical angle.

 

Here are timecodes to help you navigate through today’s show:

 

01:00     What happens when we start to think about and talk about what is going on in the world, from the perspective of transcendence—getting ourselves out of the perspective that this is the only time and place that matters?

 

03:33     Chris and Shayna recap last week’s show on the salutary effects of wonder on our shared life together, in one minute.

 

05:22     What are ways that wonder and awe can be distorted?

 

10:26     Is one of the downsides of the “information age” that we overvalue knowing, and undervalue “not knowing?”

 

12:51     Does science help or hinder the development of wonder in people?

 

15:35     Does materialist reductionism of the “nothing but-ery” type shed light on the kind of reductionism we see in current United States political life? Are there limits to what we can know?

 

19:00     Does your picture of God allow for a God who wonders?

 

21:03     How does sacramentality relate to wonder? Can there be non-religious sacramentality?