New Adam Project contributor John Seel has an article on Aaron Renn’s Substack (https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/the-evaporation-of-the-sacred) that fits in really well with the conversations we’ve been having about reaching younger men. In “The Evaporation of the Sacred,” John names something many of us have sensed but haven’t quite been able to describe—how modern life has quietly stripped away transcendence, wonder, and a sense of the holy.
I’ve talked to a lot of GenXers and Boomers who are having a hard understanding what younger guys are looking for. They ask why there’s a surge in young men exploring Roman Catholicism or Orthodox Christianity. I think this is at least part of it.
John’s piece gives us a helpful framework for understanding the cultural moment we’re all living in and how we can walk alongside the next generation as they seek to fill what Pascal called “the God-shaped vacuum” in their heart.
If you’re a Spiritual Father, mentor, pastor, or men’s leader, it’s worth the read. Here’s some questions to think about as you read it, and maybe even have a discussion with some like-minded brothers.
- Where do you see “the evaporation of the sacred” in your own life or in the lives of younger men around you?
- How can older and younger men walk together to restore a sense of the sacred?
- What simple practices or conversations might open the door to deeper spiritual meaning?
