I realized this morning that Charles Taylor’s book, A Secular Age, is essentially a philosophical work. His wikipedia article calls him “Charles Taylor (philosopher).”

This is to disambiguate him from “Charles Taylor (Liberian politician).”

I turned to the bio on the flyleaf this morning to learn that he is professor emeritus in philosophy at MacGill University. I was wondering about this because of how engaging I find the story he is telling in the book I am reading.

He is seeking through history, philosophy, sociology, art and all other disciplines of humanities to explain how we got ourselves where we are now: a situation where “exclusive humanism” is a viable way to live. By “exclusive humanism,” he means something like humanism which precludes a religious faith. This comes about historically by a historical ebbing of  “naive” and “enchanted” understandings of the world both religious and superstitious.

I am drawn into his conversation prose which has a erudition that ranges widely over many disciplines. It was a footnote of his that led me to read Peter Berger’s book, A Far Glory. 

So I figure it’s a combination of philosophy, sociology and history that draws me to these two men’s work.

Yesterday I pretty much had an honest day off.

I did some work for church, but mostly spent the day playing Bach on organ and piano and doing a little reading.

Very satisfying. My fall schedule looks as though Thursday through Saturday will be a weekly light time for me. I have one class on Friday morning, but the rest of the time I will be able to structure myself for some seriously goofing off with Bach and books.