Tuesday Night Book Group: The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God

A longtime atheist psychologist cited as “the most influential public intellectual in the Western world” has also been called “the person most responsible for reintroducing God and the Bible into mainstream secular culture today,” prompting many to leave behind secularism and reconsider Christianity. Other high-profile conversions (including atheist-turned-Catholic standup comic Jen Fulwiler and actor Matthew Perry, whose memoir featured his heartfelt account of a mystical encounter with God), not to mention peer-reviewed medical studies of near-death experiences have been bringing matters of God and the afterlife front and center.

Could we be witnessing a return of belief in our generation? Drawing from the worlds of C.S. Lewis, contemporary culture, consciousness, philosophy, poetry, science, and technology, as well as from 15 years of interviews as a popular radio and podcast host, author Justin Brierley argues a resounding “yes”—stating that “the church needs to be a place of countercultural grace in a polarized, moralistic, and unforgiving society.”

Join the Tuesday Night Book Group in reading and discussing Brierley’s new book The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers are Considering Christianity Again, which Bishop Barron deemed “excellent” in announcing plans for a series of YouTube talks on the book, which promises to provide “food for thought” with loved ones at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

As the discussion of each chapter is self-contained, everyone is welcome and free to join at any time for one or more sessions of this series.

Upcoming Sessions:

Tuesday, November 7th | The Rise and Fall of New Atheism (discussion of chapter + linked video)
Tuesday, November 14th | The New Conversation on God
Tuesday, November 21st | Shaped by the Christian Story
Tuesday, November 28th | Rediscovering the Bible
Tuesday, December 5th | The Alternative Story of Science
Tuesday, December 12th | Mind, Meaning, and the Materialists
Tuesday, December 19th | The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God

Optional Supplemental Reading: Yes, There is a God by John Bergsma, Ph.D., and Science at the Doorstep to God: Science and Reason in Support of God, the Soul, and Life After Death by Fr. Robert Spitzer, SJ, Ph.D.

To receive the new Zoom link for this series, RSVP with the subject line “REBIRTH OF BELIEF” to [email protected].