Why Is "Secularism" A Problem? Read "Saving Leonardo" and Learn

“Saving Leonardo” has just become one of the most underlined and highlighted books I own!

Okay, I only own 5 books, but still…

My experience with Nancy Pearcey’s writing is primarily based on her previous book, “Total Truth”—which is outstanding.  I find her, once again, to be insightful, intellectually challenging, very interesting, and a brilliant analyst of culture—both historical culture and contemporary culture.

In “Saving Leonardo”, Pearcey describes, in compelling ways, why the increasing “secularism” in our world is a serious problem.  She makes the point that secularism is even a problem for those who do not consider themselves to be religious.  She writes, “Because the word ‘secular’ is the opposite of ‘religious’, many people assume that secularism is a problem for religious groups only.  Not so.  When politics loses its moral dimension, we all lose.  When political discourse is debased, the entire society suffers.  The reason Christians should be concerned is not to protect their own subculture, but to protect the democratic process for all people.”

Pearcey expands in helpful ways on the concept of the “fact/value split” about which she wrote in “Total Truth”.  She identifies the fact/value split as the “core of modern secularism”.  Read the book for her able defense of that contention. 

In Part 2 of “Saving Leonardo”, she addresses two paths to secularism—“originating in the clash between the Enlightenment and the Romantic movement”—in which she traces the “historical rise of secularism”. 

To demonstrate the effects of secularism on Western culture, Pearcey provides many examples of specific works of art ranging from literature, to painting, to music, to sculpture, to film, and more, explaining how they have contributed to secularism or how they display, knowingly or un-knowingly, the results of secularism’s steadily increasing influence. 

I found her thoughts on “Artists as Thinkers” to be interesting.  She writes, “The truth is that artists interact deeply with the thought of their day, translating worldviews into stories and images.”  Pearcey correctly identifies “art”—in its many manifestations—as a field of significant influence.  And perhaps it is more influential than many Christians realize or acknowledge.

Since I have not studied art in any serious, comprehensive way, there were a number of things I learned in Part 2 of the book.  Actually, now that I think of it, it would be more accurate to say that EVERYTHING in Part 2 of the book involved new learning for me…except the page numbering.  I was pretty familiar with that concept from the other 5 books I own.

I highly recommend “Saving Leonardo”.  Nancy Pearcey is brilliant.