Description
God in the Secular City
Book Summary
In a world where time accelerates, experiences multiply, and money sits at the center of everything, religion lives in a paradox: it is denied by dominant secular values, yet at the same time, it is celebrated and absorbed by capitalism as a new belief system. This essay analyzes how capitalism has managed to turn money into an object of worship, generating debt and guilt instead of salvation. An essential work for understanding the transformation of faith in contemporary society and the complex relationship between economy, culture, and belief.
What is it about?
The book explores the profound confusion that religion experiences in today's secular society. On one hand, faith is denied by the value criteria that govern our daily lives: the acceleration of time, the constant search for new experiences, and the centrality of money. In this context, there is no room for contemplation, spiritual experience, or traditional moral values.
However, religion does not disappear. On the contrary, capitalism celebrates it and integrates it as a true religion. The author argues that the capitalist system understands that to sustain itself, a good bottom line is not enough; it needs people to see it as a belief system. Thus, money has become an object of worship from which it is impossible to escape, even though this cult leads not to salvation, but to debt and guilt.
Main themes
- The crisis of religion in secular society and its apparent denial by contemporary values.
- The transformation of capitalism into a belief system that competes with traditional faith.
- Money as an object of worship and its capacity to generate debt and guilt instead of redemption.
- The acceleration of time and the multiplication of experiences as obstacles to contemplation and religious experience.
- The relationship between economy, culture, and spirituality in the modern world.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for readers interested in the intersection of religion, philosophy, and sociology. It is especially relevant for those seeking to understand how capitalism has shaped our beliefs and values, as well as for those reflecting on the role of faith in a secularized world. It will also be of great interest to students and professionals in the fields of philosophy of religion, theology, sociology, and critical economics.
What this book offers
- A lucid and critical analysis of the paradox of religion in contemporary society.
- A deep reflection on how capitalism has managed to establish itself as an alternative belief system.
- Keys to understanding the relationship between the acceleration of time, consumerism, and the loss of spiritual experience.
- An original perspective on money as an object of worship and its psychological and social consequences.
- Tools to rethink the place of faith and moral values in a world dominated by the economy.
Technical specifications
- Author: Felicísimo Martínez y Reyes
- Publisher: Anthropos Editorial
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: History, Philosophy, Religion and beliefs, Philosophy of religion, Christianity, Society and culture: general, Economy
- Collection: Critical / Utopian Thought
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: May 2016
- Number of pages: 192
- Weight: 248 g
Editorial review
This essay offers a sharp and necessary look at one of the most pressing dilemmas of our time: the survival of religion in a society that simultaneously denies and absorbs it. The author's proposal is valuable for its ability to connect apparently disparate phenomena—social acceleration, the cult of money, the crisis of contemplation—into a coherent and provocative analysis. A work that invites reflection and debate, especially recommended for those seeking to understand the cultural and spiritual dynamics of late capitalism.