Worship or Suicide
On Paradox Between Religion and Society
- Ethics, Culture & Social Issues
- Publisher: Cascade Books (Wipf and Stock)
- Published: 2025
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Publisher's Description
There is a growing unease about the perceived decay of Western civilization. Intellectuals ruminate about a post-liberal future and an atmosphere of dread permeates the public sphere. One senses that the old is fading while the emerging order is not in sight. Worship or Suicide offers both an account of how Western civilization came to flourish and an explanation as to why its decay was already present in its success. Every civilization is rooted in foundational myths and rituals. The removal of the Western roots from the Judeo-Christian soil leads toward the withering of the social order. Other gods move into the vacuum and transform the West into soft totalitarianism. Thus, the church both is responsible for social decay through its idolatry and also contains the potential for renewal. Yet the solution does not lie in the instrumental use of religion. Instead, the church gives birth to a flourishing society paradoxically: By excluding the immanent order and solely focusing upon the worship of the triune God, the church unintentionally redeems society from its suicidal drive.
Endorsements (5)
“Oleg Dik clearly shows that Christians, churches, and citizens in general need a differentiated understanding of secularization as a ‘child’ of the Christian-Jewish tradition in order to better understand the foundations of Western liberal societies. The author demonstrates that the contribution of congregations and churches to liberal and democratic society lies precisely in bodily living out the meaning of human existence in worship and committed community of faith: praising God as the Triune One.”
“In this fascinating book, Oleg Dik examines the myths and rituals around which all societies, even ‘secular’ ones, are organized. Dik weaves a panoramic view of the scholarship together with his own experiences and encounters living in the West as a refugee from the Soviet Union. The result is full of deep and surprising insight, bridging the gap between ‘believers’ and ‘unbelievers,’ which argues that Christianity is a source of both decay and renewal.”
“This is a remarkable book. It has an extraordinary range of cultural reference, from philosophy to theology, ritual to secularity, academics to zombies. It offers a bold and penetrating analysis of potential ways forward for western culture and the place of its churches. Full of piercing insights, its thesis is one that deserves wide discussion and serious reflection.”
“Others have written on the crisis of the West, but Dik’s book is unique in making worship—not whether but what people worship—its focal point. Eschewing any simplistic call to Sunday services, Dik lambasts a modern church that failed through its own successful alignment with worldly powers, thus disembodying the virtues God intended it to exhibit. Take heed: Dik’s analysis shows why the recovery of God-centered worship is a life-or-death issue for the church.”
“With its provocative assertion that ‘worship is inevitable,’ this book offers a timely reflection on the critical importance of choosing the object of one’s worship with care. Enriched by personal examples, the analysis is a rich resource for thinking about the significance of the rituals and symbols that shape our lives and communities.”
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