--- product_id: 1692869 title: "How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor" price: "₹ 2888" currency: INR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.in/products/1692869-how-not-to-be-secular-reading-charles-taylor store_origin: IN region: India --- # How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor **Price:** ₹ 2888 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor - **How much does it cost?** ₹ 2888 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.in](https://www.desertcart.in/products/1692869-how-not-to-be-secular-reading-charles-taylor) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description How (Not) to Be Secular is what Jamie Smith calls "your hitchhiker's guide to the present" -- it is both a reading guide to Charles Taylor's monumental work A Secular Age and philosophical guidance on how we might learn to live in our times. Taylor's landmark book A Secular Age (2007) provides a monumental, incisive analysis of what it means to live in the post-Christian present -- a pluralist world of competing beliefs and growing unbelief. Jamie Smith's book is a compact field guide to Taylor's insightful study of the secular, making that very significant but daunting work accessible to a wide array of readers. Even more, though, Smith's How (Not) to Be Secular is a practical philosophical guidebook, a kind of how-to manual on how to live in our secular age. It ultimately offers us an adventure in self-understanding and maps out a way to get our bearings in today's secular culture, no matter who "we" are -- whether believers or skeptics, devout or doubting, self-assured or puzzled and confused. This is a book for any thinking person to chew on. Review: An excellent conversational partner is James K - Bibliography James K. A. Smith. How (Not) To Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014. 161 pp. $16.00. Category Theology Summary Christians navigate a world dominated by secularism. Christendom has seen an end, but is that the final end? What do we mean by secularism? How did we get here? Do Christians embrace this environment? Combat it? How? Why? Why not? What are the implications of secularism in everyday life? How do Christians navigate a secular world? For a pastor to ignore these questions would be foolish. He can’t just sweep the Church under a sacred rug and hide it in the secular room it occupies. But how does a pastor address these questions? Where does he start? To whom does he turn for counsel? An excellent conversational partner is James K. A. Smith’s recent book, How (Not) To Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. This 150-pager is an accessible commentary of Charles Taylor’s seminal work on post-modernity. Smith, a philosophy professor at Calvin College, distills Charles Taylor’s, A Secular Age, to one-tenth its size, helping readers to interact with and process Taylor’s observations. Who is Charles Taylor? Taylor is a Catholic philosopher who has made significant contributions to interpreting post-modernity. Taylor’s 900 page tome, A Secular Age, explores the rise of secularism during the last 500 years. It studies the shift from a worldview of transcendence, humanity looking beyond to a supernatural realm, to a worldview of immanence, humanity locating itself in a natural realm devoid of supernaturalism. As focus shifts from one to the other, we see the decline of sacred and the rise of secular, the decline of superstition and the rise of science, the decline of corporate structures and the rise of individualism. It’s a story of reform, leading to deism, leading to secular humanism, leaving secularists with what Taylor calls lives under cross-pressure – “expressions of doubt and longing, faith and questioning” (14). Smith interacts with Taylor’s work, corresponding each chapter to each successive part of Taylor’s, A Secular Age. Smith does not just tell you what Taylor says, he explains the significance of it, commenting on what he agrees or disagrees with, and adding nuances or implications of Taylor’s reading of secularism. Smith’s work is not just Cliff Notes; it’s critical interaction with Taylor. Smith contextualizes Taylor’s observations with pictures we can relate to, such as examples from Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, Seinfeld, and a smattering of other pop-culture references. These references are punchy. He is not detailed in explaining them. Rather, they’re like solid one-liners that, if we know the context, end up being powerful connections for readers. If you’re going to read this book, do so with dictionary at side, and consult Smith’s glossary of Taylor’s verbiage. It follows the conclusion. I’m not saying How (Not) To Be Secular is a difficult read. You’ll simply want help along the way. Benefit for Pastoral Ministry Every pastor is a theologian who must engage rigorous reads. Though this one is not extremely heady, it will press you. Yet, it is practical. As you read, you’ll find yourself muttering, “So that’s what’s going on!” or “That’s why that person walked away from the Faith!” or “That’s why it is so difficult to defend Christianity against anti-theists!” For me, How (Not) To Be Secular, helped process my story from conversion to today. It caused reflection on why I am enamored by pietism (the historical period, people, and movement). I saw chinks in secular humanism’s armor. It trained me to point those flaws out and interact confidently with secular humanists. How (Not) To Be Secular, synthesized history, philosophy, sociology, and theology as if I were the blind man in the gospel seeing blurry trees and then blinking to take in humanity for the first time. Four critical contributions that I found in How (Not) To Be Secular include Taylor’s three definitions of secular, his sense of social imaginary, the significance that reform plays in the secular story, and his discussion on subtraction stories. Though you may not parade as an intellectual theorist, it does not mean you are not pondering meaning, purpose, and transcendence. It does not mean you are not seeking God or coping in light of the supposed “death of God”, which secularism presumably conceived. This is not just true of pastors; it’s true of congregations. Therefore, equip yourself to give an informed response by reading How (Not) To Be Secular by James K. A. Smith. Recommendation How (Not) To Be Secular negotiates the post-modern narrative, makes sense of the secular malaise, and gives a fresh take, which dispels the myth of secular spin. Review: Thought-provoking, well-reasoned, and challenging - I really enjoyed studying this book! It gave me a much clearer understanding of the secularists perspective and even helped me develop a deeper sympathy for the current state of secularism. The historical context provided was eye-opening, and learning about the three types of secularism helped me grasp the viewpoint more fully. I wouldn’t call it an offensive apologetics book, but rather a thoughtful Christian perspective on the secular worldview. My only challenge was that the author can be a bit wordy at times, but that might just be me! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #56,827 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #32 in Church & State Religious Studies #47 in Religion & Philosophy (Books) #73 in Religious Philosophy (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 651 Reviews | ## Images ![How (Not) to Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/B1gfgdrewdS.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ An excellent conversational partner is James K *by J***N on December 30, 2014* Bibliography James K. A. Smith. How (Not) To Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014. 161 pp. $16.00. Category Theology Summary Christians navigate a world dominated by secularism. Christendom has seen an end, but is that the final end? What do we mean by secularism? How did we get here? Do Christians embrace this environment? Combat it? How? Why? Why not? What are the implications of secularism in everyday life? How do Christians navigate a secular world? For a pastor to ignore these questions would be foolish. He can’t just sweep the Church under a sacred rug and hide it in the secular room it occupies. But how does a pastor address these questions? Where does he start? To whom does he turn for counsel? An excellent conversational partner is James K. A. Smith’s recent book, How (Not) To Be Secular: Reading Charles Taylor. This 150-pager is an accessible commentary of Charles Taylor’s seminal work on post-modernity. Smith, a philosophy professor at Calvin College, distills Charles Taylor’s, A Secular Age, to one-tenth its size, helping readers to interact with and process Taylor’s observations. Who is Charles Taylor? Taylor is a Catholic philosopher who has made significant contributions to interpreting post-modernity. Taylor’s 900 page tome, A Secular Age, explores the rise of secularism during the last 500 years. It studies the shift from a worldview of transcendence, humanity looking beyond to a supernatural realm, to a worldview of immanence, humanity locating itself in a natural realm devoid of supernaturalism. As focus shifts from one to the other, we see the decline of sacred and the rise of secular, the decline of superstition and the rise of science, the decline of corporate structures and the rise of individualism. It’s a story of reform, leading to deism, leading to secular humanism, leaving secularists with what Taylor calls lives under cross-pressure – “expressions of doubt and longing, faith and questioning” (14). Smith interacts with Taylor’s work, corresponding each chapter to each successive part of Taylor’s, A Secular Age. Smith does not just tell you what Taylor says, he explains the significance of it, commenting on what he agrees or disagrees with, and adding nuances or implications of Taylor’s reading of secularism. Smith’s work is not just Cliff Notes; it’s critical interaction with Taylor. Smith contextualizes Taylor’s observations with pictures we can relate to, such as examples from Fleet Foxes, Arcade Fire, Seinfeld, and a smattering of other pop-culture references. These references are punchy. He is not detailed in explaining them. Rather, they’re like solid one-liners that, if we know the context, end up being powerful connections for readers. If you’re going to read this book, do so with dictionary at side, and consult Smith’s glossary of Taylor’s verbiage. It follows the conclusion. I’m not saying How (Not) To Be Secular is a difficult read. You’ll simply want help along the way. Benefit for Pastoral Ministry Every pastor is a theologian who must engage rigorous reads. Though this one is not extremely heady, it will press you. Yet, it is practical. As you read, you’ll find yourself muttering, “So that’s what’s going on!” or “That’s why that person walked away from the Faith!” or “That’s why it is so difficult to defend Christianity against anti-theists!” For me, How (Not) To Be Secular, helped process my story from conversion to today. It caused reflection on why I am enamored by pietism (the historical period, people, and movement). I saw chinks in secular humanism’s armor. It trained me to point those flaws out and interact confidently with secular humanists. How (Not) To Be Secular, synthesized history, philosophy, sociology, and theology as if I were the blind man in the gospel seeing blurry trees and then blinking to take in humanity for the first time. Four critical contributions that I found in How (Not) To Be Secular include Taylor’s three definitions of secular, his sense of social imaginary, the significance that reform plays in the secular story, and his discussion on subtraction stories. Though you may not parade as an intellectual theorist, it does not mean you are not pondering meaning, purpose, and transcendence. It does not mean you are not seeking God or coping in light of the supposed “death of God”, which secularism presumably conceived. This is not just true of pastors; it’s true of congregations. Therefore, equip yourself to give an informed response by reading How (Not) To Be Secular by James K. A. Smith. Recommendation How (Not) To Be Secular negotiates the post-modern narrative, makes sense of the secular malaise, and gives a fresh take, which dispels the myth of secular spin. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thought-provoking, well-reasoned, and challenging *by J***H on October 6, 2024* I really enjoyed studying this book! It gave me a much clearer understanding of the secularists perspective and even helped me develop a deeper sympathy for the current state of secularism. The historical context provided was eye-opening, and learning about the three types of secularism helped me grasp the viewpoint more fully. I wouldn’t call it an offensive apologetics book, but rather a thoughtful Christian perspective on the secular worldview. My only challenge was that the author can be a bit wordy at times, but that might just be me! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A succinct summary of how our society has become dangerously secular. *by H***R on January 5, 2015* A highly readable, and reasonable length book describing the thinking of the highly respected Canadian, Roman Catholic philosopher and theologian, whose major work is 900 extremely dense pages. It is probably too difficult for most readers who are interested this subject matter. While Smith’s book is not easy sledding, it is comprehensible to the average person (i.e. those like me--I am a psychiatrist with a strong interest in philosophy and theology, but I have never had the opportunity to pursue the subjects in the depth I wish were possible). Happily, Smith covers most of the subject in 134 pages! Of course, it isn’t easy reading. The subject addressed is the serious problem that our secular society faces. Without a grounding in a intellectually sensible theology that remains consistent with ritual and scripture (whatever religion may be your preference), many people have abandoned religion entirely. The result can be the nightmare of the abuses of wall street and sexuality that are common today, in no small measure because so many of us are bereft of transcendent values with which to ground morality. In Taylor’s and Smith’s view, this often has been replaced by an attitude that individual flourishing, whatever its impact on others or society in general may be. All that is needed is my personal success and those who are constrained by traditional morality are often seen as suckers. There are, of course, numerous people who are agnostics or atheists who have moral values that are admirable and based on good thinking. This includes a number of my friends and both my grown sons. Some of these people are even in the process of building communities that serve many of the same functions for them that churches have provided. Never-the-less, we are all confronted by having to deal with those who see no point to moral grounding and personal restraint. For them, if it feels good or makes even more money, they live in such a way that there seems to be no reason not to engage in behavior that beats more money and immediate pleasure. Not the least of the problems of this view is that actually does not prove to be fulfilling. That being the case, their response is to seek more of the same--if you don’t need something, nothing is enough. Many of us consider it part of our morality to compassionately challenge that perspective. This book, along with others, provides some help with that task. Smith follows Taylor’s effort to explain historically how it came to be that before about 1500, very, very few were atheists of agnostics; but now it has come to pass that in much of the world the majority have no transcendent moral--let alone religious--convictions. The arguments are almost always interesting, although I personally did not agree with all of them, which is to be expected. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.in/products/1692869-how-not-to-be-secular-reading-charles-taylor](https://www.desertcart.in/products/1692869-how-not-to-be-secular-reading-charles-taylor) --- *Product available on Desertcart India* *Store origin: IN* *Last updated: 2026-06-05*