21 Books like A Secular Age

The Stillborn God

by Mark Lilla • 2007

Politics broke from God only recently, and Weimar nearly put them back together.

3.60

289

⛪ Political Theology 🏛️ Secularization 🇩🇪 German Philosophy ✝️ Christian Thought 💡 Enlightenment Critique

The Stillborn God 94%

Politics broke from God only recently, and Weimar nearly put them back together.

by Mark Lilla 2007

3.60

289 ratings

⛪ Political Theology 🏛️ Secularization 🇩🇪 German Philosophy ✝️ Christian Thought 💡 Enlightenment Critique

Against the Machine

by Paul Kingsnorth • 2025

The West lost its soul; a machine grew in the gap, now coming to replace us.

3.95

3k+

🏛️ Critique Of Modernity ⚙️ Technology Criticism 🌳 Spiritual Ecology 🪄 Disenchantment 📵 Digital Resistance

Against the Machine 94%

The West lost its soul; a machine grew in the gap, now coming to replace us.

by Paul Kingsnorth 2025

3.95

3k+ ratings

🏛️ Critique Of Modernity ⚙️ Technology Criticism 🌳 Spiritual Ecology 🪄 Disenchantment 📵 Digital Resistance

The Crisis of the Modern World

by René Guénon • 1927

Modernity is a spiritual dark age, and the West's greatest achievements are its diagnostic symptoms.

4.09

2k+

🕉️ Perennial Philosophy 🏙️ Critique Of Modernity 🔄 Cyclical History 🧘 Eastern Metaphysics 🕯️ Contemplation And Action

The Crisis of the Modern World 94%

Modernity is a spiritual dark age, and the West's greatest achievements are its diagnostic symptoms.

by René Guénon 1927

4.09

2k+ ratings

🕉️ Perennial Philosophy 🏙️ Critique Of Modernity 🔄 Cyclical History 🧘 Eastern Metaphysics 🕯️ Contemplation And Action

The Theological Origins of Modernity

by Michael Allen Gillespie • 2008

The modern world is a theological argument that left the church and took over everything.

4.23

270

📜 Intellectual History ⛪ Political Theology 🏛️ Medieval Philosophy 🤔 Faith And Reason 📖 Scholasticism

The Theological Origins of Modernity Summary

The Theological Origins of Modernity 94%

The modern world is a theological argument that left the church and took over everything.

by Michael Allen Gillespie 2008

4.23

270 ratings

📜 Intellectual History ⛪ Political Theology 🏛️ Medieval Philosophy 🤔 Faith And Reason 📖 Scholasticism

10 Books That Screwed Up the World

by Benjamin Wiker • 2008

Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.

3.43

1k+

🧠 Intellectual History 🏛️ Political Philosophy ⛪ Critique Of Secularism ⚠️ Dangerous Ideas 🔗 Totalitarianism Origins

10 Books That Screwed Up the World Summary

10 Books That Screwed Up the World 94%

Fifteen books rejected God and morality, then the 20th century drowned in blood.

by Benjamin Wiker 2008

3.43

1k+ ratings

🧠 Intellectual History 🏛️ Political Philosophy ⛪ Critique Of Secularism ⚠️ Dangerous Ideas 🔗 Totalitarianism Origins

How to Save the West

by Spencer Klavan • 2023

The West's unraveling isn't political. It's philosophical, and the remedy is older than the problem.

4.27

468

🏛️ Western Civilization 📉 Cultural Decline 🏺 Classical Philosophy 👤 Embodiment 🔬 Science And Faith

How to Save the West 93%

The West's unraveling isn't political. It's philosophical, and the remedy is older than the problem.

by Spencer Klavan 2023

4.27

468 ratings

🏛️ Western Civilization 📉 Cultural Decline 🏺 Classical Philosophy 👤 Embodiment 🔬 Science And Faith

Strange New World

by Carl R. Trueman • 2022

The creed of inner feelings has a genealogy, and the sexual revolution made it law.

4.47

5k+

🪧 Sexual Revolution 📚 Intellectual History 🪪 Modern Identity 🏛️ Cultural Criticism ✝️ Reformed Theology

Strange New World 93%

The creed of inner feelings has a genealogy, and the sexual revolution made it law.

by Carl R. Trueman 2022

4.47

5k+ ratings

🪧 Sexual Revolution 📚 Intellectual History 🪪 Modern Identity 🏛️ Cultural Criticism ✝️ Reformed Theology

The Passion of the Western Mind

by Richard Tarnas • 1991

Western thought is a single dramatic story, from ancient archetypes to postmodern doubt.

4.24

2k+

🧠 Intellectual History 🏛️ Western Philosophy 🌍 Worldview Shifts ⛪ Faith And Reason 🏰 Western Civilization

The Passion of the Western Mind 93%

Western thought is a single dramatic story, from ancient archetypes to postmodern doubt.

by Richard Tarnas 1991

4.24

2k+ ratings

🧠 Intellectual History 🏛️ Western Philosophy 🌍 Worldview Shifts ⛪ Faith And Reason 🏰 Western Civilization

Modern Times

by Paul Johnson • 1983

Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.

4.29

3k+

📅 Modern History 💡 Intellectual History 🏛️ Political History ⚖️ Moral Relativism 🚫 Totalitarianism

Modern Times 93%

Einstein and Freud dismantled the old moral universe. Into the void stepped the totalitarians.

by Paul Johnson 1983

4.29

3k+ ratings

📅 Modern History 💡 Intellectual History 🏛️ Political History ⚖️ Moral Relativism 🚫 Totalitarianism

Foolishness to the Greeks

by Lesslie Newbigin • 1986

The West became the hardest mission field the moment it split public facts from private values.

4.24

935

🗺️ Missiology 🪓 Fact-Value Split 🛡️ Cultural Apologetics 🏛️ Western Secularism ⛪ Missional Church

Foolishness to the Greeks 93%

The West became the hardest mission field the moment it split public facts from private values.

by Lesslie Newbigin 1986

4.24

935 ratings

🗺️ Missiology 🪓 Fact-Value Split 🛡️ Cultural Apologetics 🏛️ Western Secularism ⛪ Missional Church

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis

by John Vervaeke • 2024

The West's loss of meaning has a 40,000-year history. Tracing it reveals the exit.

4.70

📜 Intellectual History 🧠 Cognitive Science 🔍 Attention And Flow 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🕯️ Wisdom Traditions

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis Summary

Awakening From the Meaning Crisis 93%

The West's loss of meaning has a 40,000-year history. Tracing it reveals the exit.

by John Vervaeke 2024

4.70

69 ratings

📜 Intellectual History 🧠 Cognitive Science 🔍 Attention And Flow 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🕯️ Wisdom Traditions

Desire and Mental Health in Christianity and the Arts

by David Torevell • 2023

The West's mental health crisis has roots that psychology overlooks: a forgotten theology of desire.

🔥 Theology Of Desire 🎨 Art And Faith 🧠 Mental Health And Faith 🏙️ Secular Modernity 🌱 Spiritual Formation

Desire and Mental Health in Christianity and the Arts Summary

Desire and Mental Health in Christianity and the Arts 93%

The West's mental health crisis has roots that psychology overlooks: a forgotten theology of desire.

by David Torevell 2023

🔥 Theology Of Desire 🎨 Art And Faith 🧠 Mental Health And Faith 🏙️ Secular Modernity 🌱 Spiritual Formation

Strange Rites

by Tara Isabella Burton • 2020

Americans didn't quit religion. They replaced church with SoulCycle, fandom, and social justice.

3.88

2k+

🇺🇸 American Religion 📊 Sociology Of Religion 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🧩 Personalized Faith 🛒 Spiritual Marketplace

Strange Rites 93%

Americans didn't quit religion. They replaced church with SoulCycle, fandom, and social justice.

by Tara Isabella Burton 2020

3.88

2k+ ratings

🇺🇸 American Religion 📊 Sociology Of Religion 🌱 Secular Spirituality 🧩 Personalized Faith 🛒 Spiritual Marketplace

Why Liberalism Failed

by Patrick J. Deneen • 2018

Liberalism didn't fail despite its successes. Its successes broke it.

3.84

4k+

🏛️ Political Philosophy 🤝 Communitarianism 🧩 Individualism Critique 📉 Meritocracy Critique 🏚️ Civic Decline

Why Liberalism Failed 93%

Liberalism didn't fail despite its successes. Its successes broke it.

by Patrick J. Deneen 2018

3.84

4k+ ratings

🏛️ Political Philosophy 🤝 Communitarianism 🧩 Individualism Critique 📉 Meritocracy Critique 🏚️ Civic Decline

The Right Side of History

by Ben Shapiro • 2019

Greek reason plus biblical purpose built the modern West. Both are now in retreat.

3.86

9k+

🏛️ Western Civilization ✝️ Judeo-Christian Values 📉 Western Decline 🗽 Classical Liberalism 🏰 Traditional Conservatism

The Right Side of History 93%

Greek reason plus biblical purpose built the modern West. Both are now in retreat.

by Ben Shapiro 2019

3.86

9k+ ratings

🏛️ Western Civilization ✝️ Judeo-Christian Values 📉 Western Decline 🗽 Classical Liberalism 🏰 Traditional Conservatism

The Outsider

by Colin Wilson • 1956

The outsider feels reality too sharply to accept ordinary life. That crisis destroys, or awakens.

4.03

5k+

🧠 Existential Philosophy 📚 Literary Criticism 🏚️ Modern Alienation 🎭 Divided Self 👁️ Visionary Consciousness

The Outsider 93%

The outsider feels reality too sharply to accept ordinary life. That crisis destroys, or awakens.

by Colin Wilson 1956

4.03

5k+ ratings

🧠 Existential Philosophy 📚 Literary Criticism 🏚️ Modern Alienation 🎭 Divided Self 👁️ Visionary Consciousness

Soul Machine

by George Makari • 2015

Science couldn't find the soul. So early modern Europe invented the mind to take its place.

3.82

157

🧠 Intellectual History 🧪 History Of Psychology 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 💡 Enlightenment Thought ⛪ Secularization

Soul Machine 93%

Science couldn't find the soul. So early modern Europe invented the mind to take its place.

by George Makari 2015

3.82

157 ratings

🧠 Intellectual History 🧪 History Of Psychology 💭 Philosophy Of Mind 💡 Enlightenment Thought ⛪ Secularization

Religion for Atheists

by Alain de Botton • 2011

Atheism won by disproving God. It lost by discarding everything religion knew about human needs.

3.66

12k+

🧘 Secular Spirituality 📚 Applied Philosophy 🌍 Secular Humanism 🕯️ Ritual Design 📖 Cultural Criticism

Religion for Atheists 93%

Atheism won by disproving God. It lost by discarding everything religion knew about human needs.

by Alain de Botton 2011

3.66

12k+ ratings

🧘 Secular Spirituality 📚 Applied Philosophy 🌍 Secular Humanism 🕯️ Ritual Design 📖 Cultural Criticism

Buddhism

by Damien Keown • 1996

Buddhism has no god, no bible, no pope. What holds its many traditions together?

3.74

3k+

📖 Introductory Buddhism ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy 🛕 Theravada Buddhism 🪷 Mahayana Buddhism 🧘 Meditation Practice

Buddhism 93%

Buddhism has no god, no bible, no pope. What holds its many traditions together?

by Damien Keown 1996

3.74

3k+ ratings

📖 Introductory Buddhism ☸️ Buddhist Philosophy 🛕 Theravada Buddhism 🪷 Mahayana Buddhism 🧘 Meditation Practice

Cynicism

by Ansgar Allen • 2014

Cynicism once meant tearing everything down. Now it just means giving up.

3.71

146

🏛️ Ancient Philosophy 📜 Intellectual History 🗳️ Political Philosophy 💬 Social Critique 🔄 Value Subversion

Cynicism 93%

Cynicism once meant tearing everything down. Now it just means giving up.

by Ansgar Allen 2014

3.71

146 ratings

🏛️ Ancient Philosophy 📜 Intellectual History 🗳️ Political Philosophy 💬 Social Critique 🔄 Value Subversion

A Short History of Myth

by Karen Armstrong • 2005

We traded myth for reason and got neither meaning nor a world we can bear.

3.69

7k+

📚 Comparative Mythology 📜 Religious History ✨ Sacred Experience 🔮 Ritual And Symbol 🌾 Goddess Traditions

A Short History of Myth 93%

We traded myth for reason and got neither meaning nor a world we can bear.

by Karen Armstrong 2005

3.69

7k+ ratings

📚 Comparative Mythology 📜 Religious History ✨ Sacred Experience 🔮 Ritual And Symbol 🌾 Goddess Traditions

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