'Strange Rites,' with Dr. Tara Isabella Burton - Mere Fidelity: a podcast from Mere Orthodoxy

While formal religious adherence has decreased in the modern age, spirituality has not. To answer why intuitions seem to be replacing institutions, Dr. Tara Isabella Burton joins Matt, Derek, and Alastair to discuss her new book, Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World. Listen in to hear how millennials and GenZers are finding their religions in fan-culture, occultism, wellness and self-care, and social justice activism.

Resources mentioned:

Book: Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World

Article: “Christianity Gets Weird,” by Tara Isabella Burton

Timestamps

0:00

Why should “normies” care about “Strange Rites” and weird internet cultures?

8:52

If many of these views are attached to internet cultures, how do they relate to one’s physical life?

13:34

How the internet is an accelerant to expressive individualism

21:39

What is the difference between these “strange rites” being new religions and intense hobbies?

25:49

What people do when their institutions are lost

29:03

How institutions can navigate the terrain of a world full of “Strange Rites”

33:10

Retaining the “weirdness” of orthodox doctrine while holding to traditional sexual ethics

33:55

Are the new godless religions accommodating human sensibilities as the classic religions have?

38:29

Is there a practice that helps us resist this pervasive expressive individualism?

Follow Derek, Andrew, and Alastair for more tweet-sized brilliance. Thanks to Caleb Wait for keeping us organized. Special thanks to Tim Motte for sound editing. And thanks to The Joy Eternal for lending us their music, which everybody should download out of gratitude for their kindness.

Modernity Technology Culture Occultism Activism The Youth of Today

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