Duncan Reyburn's Unorthodoxy

You can support my work here (if you'd like to): patreon.com/unorthodoxy  Subscribe to my substack: duncanreyburn.substack.com

Some reflections on the nature of the demon called liberalism. See also: https://duncanreyburn.substack.com/p/when-the-dragon-eats-the-knight

In a strange but philosophically potent story told in the Hebrew Bible, God gives his prophet Hosea some rather odd instructions. God commands Hosea to take for himself a wife of “whoredom” and to raise “children of whoredom” (Hosea 1:2). Hosea will be committed to a focused point of attention. He will be a symbol of the monogamy that loves and cherishes one woman no matter what. But his wife Gomer will remain promiscuous and inattentive. Because she will always look elsewhere for companionship, she will never love very deeply and she will struggle perpetually to receive love. As we'll explore in this episode, this story is mainly about worship. It symbolises the way meaning is made manifest depending on how we attend to reality. In a sense, attention is reality. What we worship determines what sort of meaning we'll find.

Available in text here: https://duncanreyburn.substack.com/p/to-render-identity-consumable

A recording of a paper delivered during an online conference, Philosophical Theologies in South Africa (hosted by Hugenote Kollege) on 24 March 2022. Abstract: At the very end of his book Orthodoxy (1908), G. K. Chesterton makes a claim regarding the “pathos” of Christ, which was “natural,” and “almost casual.” However, Chesterton contends that one dimension of Christ's pathos remained remarkably hidden, namely his “mirth.” The word “mirth” is quite literally the last word of that book. Because we have no record of Jesus laughing in the Gospels, just as we have no idea what he actually looked like, this conclusion is offered as a matter of fancy. It is perhaps not unexpected that Chesterton would say this, though, given his own personality and inclinations. Those familiar with his work will recognise his association with joy and humour. Since Chesterton offers no explicit justification, however, the question remains open as to whether there may be more than a merely subjective reason for it. Perhaps it is possible to account for such a conclusion on a philosophical and theological basis. My aim is to do that in this paper. More particularly, I want to articulate how there is, in Chesterton's writings—especially exemplified in his novel The Man Who Was Thursday (1907)—a kind of incarnational phenomenology at work that allows him to reconcile other more explicit dimensions of Christ's pathos with an undisclosed mirthful exuberance. 

A lecture on a foundation for critical thinking.

A brief exploration of memes, via what we might joking call the will to meming, as expressions of our desire to make sense of the world. You can catch this podcast on various platforms: Amazon Audible, Spotify, Google, Apple, and Podbean. You can read a transcript of this episode here: https://duncanreyburn.substack.com/p/mans-search-for-meming 

In this last episode in this brief series on understanding creativity, we look at how analogy functions as the core of cognition; and conclude with a few thoughts on assessing whether our creative ideas are any good. Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

In this episode, we look at how meaning-finding and meaning-making work in relation to creativity with reference to Chekhov's famous so-called gun. Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn 

We're briefly exploring some dimensions of creativity in four short episodes. In this episode, we explore how creativity is tied to insight. In this episode we look at what insight is, as well as how to find insights through pattern recognition and pattern naming. Support: Patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

We'll be taking a brief break from the Genesis of Meaning series to explore some dimensions of creativity. In this episode, we explore how creativity is more an issue of revaluation than of sheer novelty and the fact that this means attending to limits more than to the act of breaking out of them. Support: Patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

In this series, we're exploring how the early chapters of the book of Genesis offer clues into a kind of phenomenology of perception — a way of speaking about our most primal experiences of meaning and of being in the world. Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

In this series, we're exploring how the early chapters of the book of Genesis offer clues into a kind of phenomenology of perception — a way of speaking about our most primal experiences of meaning and of being in the world. Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

In this series, we're exploring how the early chapters of the book of Genesis offer clues into a kind of phenomenology of perception — a way of speaking about our most primal experiences of meaning and of being in the world Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

In this series, we'll be exploring how the early chapters of the book of Genesis offer clues into a kind of phenomenology of perception — a way of speaking about the most primal experiences we have of meaning and of being in the world Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

In this episode, we'll be looking at a few questions on miscellaneous subjects.

In this episode, we'll be looking at the nature of martyrdom and what it means to face up to this mysterious protest against the mob.

We'll be looking at 4 questions and 4 answers in this episode: 1) If GK Chesterton were alive today which aspects of today’s world do you think would most interest him? 2) What is the value, if any, of seeing “the news” as it exists on television, social media, etc.? 3) What is the proper way of understanding Darwinism in the context of Genesis? 4) What is the significance of the term “eucatastrophe”?

In this episode, I look at clarifying the difference between introversion and extroversion in Jung's book on Psychological Types, and also at some brief ideas around how Jungian typology interacts with the enneagram. Twitter: @duncanreyburn

In this episode, I answer this question: "I’m reading Camus’s The Plague and I’m at the point where fighting and grieving have become routine. They still track the numbers of deaths, but nobody thinks about what they mean. The US is at this point with COVID. Where do we go from here?” To do this, I explore how the "virus" acts as a structuring principle in fascism, deconstruction, and in online political squabbles, and then I look at a few key things that can help us (anyone really) to figure out "where ... we go from here".

As I wrap up 2020 on this podcast, I thought to take the time to answer a few of the questions some of you have sent me. To kick us off, we'll be looking briefly at my answer to this question: What are your thoughts on the technological and corporate invasion of the home?

In this series, we’re exploring the philosophical and theological question of God’s providence, and some questions around this single question. Some foundational sources for this series are as follows: Heavenly Participation by Hans Boersma (Eerdmans, 2011); The Comforter by Sergius Bulgakov (Eerdmans, 2004), Participation in God by Andrew Davison (Cambridge, 2019); Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (Ignatius, 2011);  Genesis, the Movie by Robert Farrar Capon (Eerdmans, 2003); Selected Writings of Meister Eckhart (Penguin, 1994), The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2005), The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2013), The Hidden and the Manifest by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2017), That All Shall Be Saved by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2019), Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (HarperCollins, 1942), The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis (William Collins, 1940). Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter/Parler: @duncanreyburn

In this series, we’re exploring the philosophical and theological question of God’s providence, and some questions around this single question. Some foundational sources for this series are as follows: Heavenly Participation by Hans Boersma (Eerdmans, 2011); The Comforter by Sergius Bulgakov (Eerdmans, 2004), Participation in God by Andrew Davison (Cambridge, 2019); Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (Ignatius, 2011);  Genesis, the Movie by Robert Farrar Capon (Eerdmans, 2003); Selected Writings of Meister Eckhart (Penguin, 1994), The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2005), The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2013), The Hidden and the Manifest by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2017), That All Shall Be Saved by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2019), Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (HarperCollins, 1942), The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis (William Collins, 1940).   Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy   Twitter/Parler: @duncanreyburn

In this series, we’re exploring the philosophical and theological question of God’s providence, and some questions around this single question. Some foundational sources for this series are as follows: Heavenly Participation by Hans Boersma (Eerdmans, 2011); The Comforter by Sergius Bulgakov (Eerdmans, 2004), Participation in God by Andrew Davison (Cambridge, 2019); Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (Ignatius, 2011);  Genesis, the Movie by Robert Farrar Capon (Eerdmans, 2003); Selected Writings of Meister Eckhart (Penguin, 1994), The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2005), The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2013), The Hidden and the Manifest by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2017), That All Shall Be Saved by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2019), Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (HarperCollins, 1942), The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis (William Collins, 1940).   Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy   Twitter/Parler: @duncanreyburn

In this series, we’re exploring the philosophical and theological question of God’s providence, and some questions around this single question. Some foundational sources for this series are as follows: Heavenly Participation by Hans Boersma (Eerdmans, 2011); The Comforter by Sergius Bulgakov (Eerdmans, 2004), Participation in God by Andrew Davison (Cambridge, 2019); Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade (Ignatius, 2011);  Genesis, the Movie by Robert Farrar Capon (Eerdmans, 2003); Selected Writings of Meister Eckhart (Penguin, 1994), The Doors of the Sea by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2005), The Experience of God by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2013), The Hidden and the Manifest by David Bentley Hart (Eerdmans, 2017), That All Shall Be Saved by David Bentley Hart (Yale, 2019), Mere Christianity by CS Lewis (HarperCollins, 1942), The Problem of Pain by CS Lewis (William Collins, 1940). Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter/Parler: @duncanreyburn

In this final reflection on this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll be looking at some ideas around modern conceptions of health and how, maybe, we need to rethink a few of them.

In this fifth reflection on this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll be looking a bit at how framing and reframing work in terms of finding meaning in the midst of the current crisis. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

In this fourth reflection on this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, we'll be looking at a useful tool developed by Marshall and Eric McLuhan called the tetrad. This is a tool that can be used to examine the psychic and social effects of the pandemic; to help us to better understand what's going on in order to better prepare ourselves what comes next—or what should come next. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

As we continue to try and understand this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, here's a brief look at one of the darker dimensions of (social) contagion, the inevitable creation of scapegoats. patreon.com/unorthodoxy  

In this brief series, I want to pause to reflect on some of the meanings accessible to us in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, we'll be looking at some biblical symbolism around the meaning of time and space, and what this might have to say to us about our present world.

In this brief series, I want to pause to reflect on some of the meanings accessible to us in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a risky business, of course. It is easy to say too much too soon, and yet it seems a risk worth taking if some sense can be made of this time of crisis and catastrophe. This reflection, as usual, is informed by the great Judeo-Christian tradition and its rich storehouse of stories and symbols.

Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

In this episode, we'll briefly explore what makes an artwork bad. As you’ll discover, it turns out that figuring out what makes an artwork bad can lead us to a surprising understanding of what makes a number of other non-artwork-type things bad, including ideologies and sermons. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

Imagine you’re reading an article online, and you notice a picture at the bottom of the screen, with a headline below it that reads: “This guy went to hug an elephant. What happens next will blow your mind.” You want to know what happens next, so you click on the link. But why? What made you want to click on that image with that headline rather than on the one that read: “Man washes dishes and discovers that soap helps.” Turns out, there are many things that are true but not so very interesting, and there are many things that are interesting even if they are not necessarily true. Is it possible for truth itself to be interesting? What could this all mean?

We're revisiting an ancient but vital skill: how to ask good questions. patreon.com/unorthodoxy

What makes something interesting? Intended more as a provocation than as a robust argument, in this episode, I briefly explore the relationship between the interesting and the true. The subject of the interesting is bound to come up again in the near future, so consider this a short and possibly inadequate introduction. Twitter: @duncanreyburn patreon.com/unorthodoxy

What is the meaning of (the fact that people share) funny animal videos on the internet? In this brief episode, we explore this question with reference to the idea of analogy and with a small dose of Aristotle's perspective on the human soul thrown in for good measure. Twitter: @duncanreyburn Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy

A recording of a talk given in 2018: A playful exploration of the question 'Why' and some of its metaphysical and existential implications. Just for the sheer (onto)logical joy of it, a philosophical proof of God's existence is also part of the mix. Twitter: @duncanreyburn

Here is a brief and imperfect archeology of the present. Support: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

They say that all's well that ends well. Well, maybe this is ending it (this series) a bit badly. In the final episode of the Reworlding series, we're looking at some patterns that are evident in combining spiral dynamics and the enneagram of personality, about which more detail can be found here: http://www.goconscious.com/home/spiral_dynamics/spiral_dynamics_and_the_enneagram_journal_article.html There's also a great Chesterton story included. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the Enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the Enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Theologies of Failure, edited by Sirvent and Reyburn: https://wipfandstock.com/theologies-of-failure.html  Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the Enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the Enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

What’s going on when faith is in transition and when understanding shifts? In this ‘Reworlding’ series, we explore some of the dimensions of the discipline known as philosophical hermeneutics, which is that discipline that tries to understand the conditions and coordinates of interpretive understanding. The main theoretical backbone of this series is the work of philosopher Hans-Georg Gadamer, but all kinds of interesting territory will be covered that goes beyond the work of Gadamer. So, for instance, we’ll be looking at media theory, spiral dynamics, the Enneagram, and a whole range of other fascinating interpretive approaches—all in the hope that we can all gain a better understanding of the journey of faith. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn

In the last Q & A episode before we begin a new series, we'll look at a few thoughts on the relationship between universals and particulars, and explore the question of whether the 'kingdom of God' might not (potentially) be a kind of tyranny. Support this podcast: patreon.com/unorthodoxy Twitter: @duncanreyburn