Living in Wonder

Finding Mystery and Meaning in a Secular Age

By: Rod Dreher

Narrated by: Adam Verner

Join the bestselling author of The Benedict Option and Live Not by Lies on an exploration of the mystery and meaning of the supernatural world and discover that the universe is not what we think it is: it is far more strange, exciting, connected, and adventurous.

The West has become "disenchanted"—closed to the idea that the universe contains the supernatural, the metaphysical, or the non-material. Christianity is in crisis. People today are leaving the Church because faith has become dry and lifeless. But people aren't leaving faith for atheism. They are still searching for the divine, and it might just be right under their noses.

In Living in Wonder, thought leader, cultural critic, and New York Times bestselling author Rod Dreher shows you how to encounter and embrace wonder in the world. In his trademark mixture of analysis, reporting, and personal story, Dreher brings together history, cultural anthropology, neuroscience, and the ancient Church to show you—no matter your religious affiliation—how to reconnect with the natural world and the Great Tradition of Christianity so you can relate to the world with more depth and connection.

He shares stories of miracles, rumors of angels, and outbreaks of awe to offer hope, as well as a guide for discerning and defending the truth in a confusing and spiritually dark culture, full of contemporary spiritual deceptions and tempting counterfeit spiritualities.

The world is not what we think it is. It is far more mysterious, exciting, connected, and adventurous. As you learn practical ways to regain a sense of wonder and awaken your sense of God's presence—through prayer, attention, and living by spiritual disciplines--your eyes will be opened, and you will find the very thing every one of us searches for: our ultimate meaning.

©2024 Rod Dreher (P)2024 Zondervan

Outstanding

I cannot recommend this book enough. It is the book for our age and this disenchanted world we live in. If you’re feeling jaded by modernity like me, read this book. It will wake you up and give you hope as well as a good dose of humility.

The content is great. Terrible narration.

I couldn’t even get through a third of the book because of the narrator. It’s like he’s reading a children’s book or something. The content was solid. I will get the paper copy.

Outstanding and Compelling

Extremely well crafted, compelling message and memorable stories told. I will be gifting this book to others and give it a hearty recommendation to be read by all.

Wow

What an absolutely phenomenal, amazing book, really opened your eyes to see things in a new light in an absolutely essential light! Rod really put words to some of my own thoughts in a way that I could just never imagine to put them

A Walk Through a Gatden of Enchantment

Convincingly written to support the path to Truth that feeds our deep human need for God’s love.
Fabulous narration. A warm invitation into Orthodoxy and her ancient gifts that fill the heart. Wonderfully done.

Mysticism Over Reason

5 stars for engaging book and well done performance. The author compellingly describes how there is growing discontent with the modern western world. However, his undisguised embrace of mysticism over reason to identify both the causes and solutions was disconcerting. Among his outlandish claims are that non-Judeo Christian beliefs systems, info technology, and aliens are demonic. The author positively quotes from another who, after studying about the Middle Ages, mourns because there is nothing like them today. While the modern world has issues which are growing worse, a return to Middle Age mysticism is not the solution.

Well written and personal

Delves into a world of mysteries and miracles open to all of us. Well worth listening to.

Another prophetic “must read” from Rod Dreher

Rod Dreher is the closest thing America has to an OT prophet, and this has been shown in his previous excellent books. “Living in Wonder” is Dreher’s next challenge to the Western Church. This book is going to be a greater challenge for a lot of people though because it requires you to re-examine your rational Enlightenment Nominalist worldview. A friend who started it on my recommendation had a really hard time getting past the opening story of the UFO encounter. I told him to keep reading with an open mind and the promise that Dreher is not so “far out” as he might think. I grew up in the Reformed Protestant tradition before becoming Anglican and Dreher has convinced me that we Western Christians have become too enmeshed in the Enlightenment/Nominalist way of seeing the world. Dreher argues that this rationalist mindset is coming to its end, whether it wants to or not, as we face re-enchantment. Our choice is whether we seek out re-enchantment to God in the way that Christians did so for many years (and still do in the Orthodox churches and other pockets of Christianity), or succumb to the dark enchantment of Lucifer, or lastly do we vainly try to hold out as our humanity drains away? I liked Dreher’s varied chapters and stories. I like how he relentlessly challenges the reader to think outside their comfort zone. I like how he sets out the good news of God’s promises to us. I will admit that I didn’t always get everything he said, but I am not sure Dreher could have done more. For example, he brings up the Jesus Prayer several times, but if we want to go deeper with that, it is up to us to pursue that. All in all, this is another “must read” book for contemporary Western Christians, especially leaders of churches. Dreher isn’t calling for everyone to become Orthodox but I think that there are Orthodox emphases that we can all draw from. Personally speaking I would love to see an Anglicanism that draws deeply from the Orthodoxy Dreher writes about, but brings that into the Anglican framework that I love. Adam Verner is great as narrator. I have heard Dreher speak in person, and Verner’s voice is a great stand in.

There is much to recommend

The content of this book is interesting and thought provoking, if you can get past the narration. It's much too lilting and breathy, more suited to a bodice-ripping novel than one encouraging a fuller view of reality. I don't think the narrator understands the book and that (I think) Dreher wants us to imagine the enchanted, the supernatural as part of day to day reality. It's there, but it should be discussed as a reality, not as a gossamer vision of wonder in to which the carnival barker is trying to get us to enter.

Vital text! Narration is…off.

This book is vital in deepening Christians’ understanding of the enchanted, sacramental nature of reality.

Tragically, the narrator doesn’t get it. Slick to the point of sick. Almost unlistenable, but I powered through.

Lord, have mercy.