Podcast Summary: All Things Catholic with Dr. Edward Sri

Episode: The Religion of Our Secular World
Date: August 12, 2025
Host: Dr. Edward Sri, Ascension

Overview:

In this episode, Dr. Edward Sri explores how the secular world—despite claiming to be non-religious—has developed its own “religion.” He breaks down the elements of the secular “gospel,” comparing it to the traditional Christian message. Sri outlines five major points of the Christian Gospel, then demonstrates how these are mirrored, borrowed, and crucially altered in secular culture. The episode serves as both a critique and a practical guide for Catholics aiming to engage and understand family, friends, and society shaped by this "modern religion."

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Everyone Has a Religion, Even the Secular World

• Main Idea: Even those who claim no religion often have a system of beliefs, values, and a vision for the world—essentially operating with a religious mindset.
• Quote:

  “Many people in the secular world today, they have their own system of values, their own vision for how the world should be… The secular world is shaping people in a certain religion. And it has its own story of salvation… a gospel message, good news, a news of salvation.” (01:00)

2. The Five Points of the Christian Gospel

Sri reviews his previous series summarizing the Christian message in five parts:

“Relationship, Rebellion, Reconciliation, Re-creation and Response.” (03:20)
He then contrasts each with its secular counterpart.

3. Point 1: Relationship vs. Random Existence

• Christian:
  • God created us out of love and for relationship with Him.
  • “He freely chose out of sheer goodness… to share his love with us so that we could be happy and be with him forever.” (05:10)
• Secular:
  • Human life is accidental, with no intrinsic meaning or purpose.
  • “In the secular age, we’re just here by chance. It’s just random.” (06:00)
  • Notable Quote:

    “We enter into this world longing to be longed for, seeking to be sought.” (07:10)

4. Point 2: The Problem of Suffering – Original Sin vs. External Blame

• Christian:
  • Suffering originates from original sin; the main problem is within us.
  • “We’re wounded. We have a deep wound in our souls because of the first sin… We don’t always live according to that truth because our will is weak.” (09:25)
  • Chesterton anecdote: “What’s the biggest problem in the world?” “Me.” (09:40)
• Secular:
  • Suffering is always caused by external factors—other people, society, the government.
  • “The secular gospel tells us, well, the problem’s not inside me, the problem’s outside of me… we tend to blame others.” (11:15)
• Implication:
  • This externalization leads to a fixation on revolution—the desire to fix others, systems, or circumstances rather than self.

5. Point 3: Salvation and Rescue – Divine Grace vs. Self-Salvation

• Christian:
  • God seeks us out, offers salvation through Jesus, grace, sacraments.
  • “He loves us so much. He sought us out… God became man. He became one of us… He came to rescue us.” (15:15)
• Secular:
  • Humanity can save itself—no need for God, religion, or grace.
  • “We don’t need a God to come save us. We can save ourselves… We can hold the world on our own.” (16:20)
  • Atlas Statue Analogy:
    • Atlas at Rockefeller Center struggling to hold the world (secular self-reliance).
    • Infant Jesus at St. Patrick’s, effortlessly holding the world (divine sovereignty).
    • “The Christian gospel is Christ came to save us. He has the whole world in his hands… Whereas the image… of Atlas is the message of, we can save ourselves.” (17:45)

6. Point 4: Transformation – New Creation in Christ vs. Self-Creation

• Christian:
  • We are healed and transformed by God’s Spirit, becoming “new creations” through Christ.
  • “God is coming into our soul to heal us, to make us a new creation.” (23:35)
• Secular:
  • We define and create ourselves, rebelling against objective reality.
  • “We will make our own values. We will create ourselves… I can decide for myself what’s right or wrong.” (24:15)
  • “The secular gospel rebels against the idea of our own humanity… I create myself anew.” (25:30)

7. Point 5: The Call – Follow Christ vs. Change the World

• Christian:
  • Called to follow Jesus, surrender to Him, love and serve according to His plan.
  • “It’s a call to follow our God, to surrender everything and to love him and to serve him…” (26:20)
• Secular:
  • A rallying cry to join the revolution, fix the world, “change society”—often with low personal moral demands.
  • “You can help us build this utopia… Be a part of this new community… It’s a high call to change the world, but it’s one with small moral demands.” (27:30)

8. Ultimate Critique of the Secular Gospel

• It promises utopia—heaven on earth—but fails due to the refusal to confront human brokenness (denial of original sin).
• “You can’t build heaven on earth. We need God’s grace, we need the light of His revelation… These revolutionary hopes for modern religion, modern secular religion, will never deliver.” (29:10)
• “When these utopian hopes are not realized, many people end up disillusioned.” (30:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Modern Loneliness and Community:

  “For a modern era in which so many individuals are so isolated… this call to be a part of a new community, a new community that gets it… join our movement, be a part of this new family.” (27:00)

• On Accompaniment vs. Judgment:

  “Are we the kind of men and women that really accompany those we might disagree with, that might have aspects of this false gospel in their minds and in their hearts?” (31:30)

• Main Takeaway:

  “Rather than just be aware of the false gospel, is to have in our mind and our heart the true gospel message. … Take time to take a look at the Gospel, to read the sacred scriptures.” (32:00)

Timestamps of Major Segments

• 00:40-03:30 – Introduction of secular “religion” and revisiting five points of the Gospel.
• 05:10-07:20 – Point 1: Divine relationship vs. random existence.
• 09:25-13:40 – Point 2: Suffering, original sin, and blame.
• 15:15-19:30 – Point 3: Salvation, Atlas/Infant Jesus analogy, self-reliance.
• 23:35-25:50 – Point 4: Re-creation vs. self-creation and postmodern values.
• 26:20-28:30 – Point 5: Discipleship vs. activism and community.
• 29:10-32:00 – The critique of utopian hopes, the enduring need for grace and accompaniment.

Conclusion

Dr. Sri offers a clear and nuanced critique of the secular worldview’s attempt to build “heaven on earth” and how it borrows, distorts, and replaces elements of the Christian Gospel. He urges Catholics to understand these parallels, lovingly accompany those shaped by secular ideology, and remain rooted in the true Gospel through scripture, prayer, and authentic community. The episode is a roadmap for dialogue, firm in conviction but rich in empathy.