The Atheist God

In the contemporary world, atheism is almost invariably viewed as opposed to the work and world of theology. At best they barely tolerate each other; at worst they wage war.

As a result, we are often confronted with two impoverished positions. Atheism having been largely reduced to an adolescent cry on behalf of a crude positivism; theology languishing in the basement of academic institutions, offering as much insight into the world as astrology.

Thankfully there have always been thinkers who’ve grasped the profoundly theological dimensions of atheism and the deeply atheistic dimensions of theology. Individuals who see their artificial separation as detrimental, not only to intellectual life, but to the task of personal and political transformation. In recent years we only need think of people like Tillich, Bloch, Bonhoeffer, Weil, Heidegger, Derrida and Zizek.

Whether you identify as theist, atheist, agnostic or ignostic, this course offers a reflective practice that delves headfirst into the true theological expanse that is atheism.

By exploring atheism as a profane practice of theological purification, we will explore its priestly power of exorcism. An exorcism powerful enough to cast out, not only religious dogmatism, but also the proliferation of all kinds of spiritualities that so often take its place.

dates

This was originally Atheism for Lent, which ran over the Lentan period in 2020. But you can now do it anytime, at your own pace. I’ve kept the course exactly as it was originally given, so each reflection is marked by the day it was originally offered. These dates should be ignored.

Tickets

There are two ways to sign up. You can purchase a ticket here or join my Patreon community at the Blaze Level. The latter will also give you access to weekly reflections, monthly seminars and all the online courses I've run to date.

What to Expect

You’ll get access to articles, podcasts, book excerpts and videos - one for every day of Lent. These will introduce you to many of the greatest critiques of religion, from some of the most creative, intellgent and insightful thinkers our world has ever produced. In addition to this, each Sunday I'll provide a talk that you can watch live or later (they'll be available in audio and video format). Each year I change around 20% of the content to keep things fresh.