A review by todd_luallen
Seculosity: How Career, Parenting, Technology, Food, Politics, and Romance Became Our New Religion and What to Do about It by David Zahl

4.0

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).