My Conversation with Uche Anizor
Here's the recap and recording, in case you missed!
If you couldn’t join last night’s live conversation (Passcode: $2?BHAN4) with Dr. Uche Anizor on his book, Overcoming Apathy: Gospel Hope for Those Who Struggle to Care, it was an excellent discussion about the deadly sin of acedia, its causes, and our Christian call to zealous discipleship. I’ve got a loose transcript below of the conversation as it progressed, and I hope you’ll find this fruitful for your own learning and reflection!
0:00-3:08 Welcome. Uche and I bond over our mutual love for Canada, and he shares some of his background.
3:08-7:45 Provenance of the book. Uche talks about the origin of his book dating back to the early 2000s when he was a young staff member for a college ministry.
7:43-10:15 Defining terms. Uche gives his definition for apathy, or acedia. “Apathy towards the things of God.” “Prolonged dampening of motivation, effort, energy.” “Sinful tendency” resulting in “lack of love, restlessness, listlessness.”
10:15-12:58 Deepened understanding. Apathy is “care-adrift” or “care-misplaced.”
12:58-20:22 Seven causes of acedia. Not an exhaustive list.
20:22-24:34 Advice for the exhausted. Hint: God’s grace is a source of empowerment.
24:34-28:07 Advice for the spiritually dry. Hint: Persevere to persevere.
28:07-31:26 Role of community. We need each other.
31:26-36:23 Defining zeal. Hint: Zeal is not North American busyness.
36:23-42:14 Acedia and emotion. Are you caring if you don’t feel it?
41:14-43:39 Acedia and action. Are you caring if you feel deeply but do nothing?
43:39-47:30 Rule of life. Uche offers a window into some of his own habits and practices.
47:30-51:51 Institutions and apathy. Resisting apathy at church.
51:51-1:04:25 Triviality and Entertainment. Yes, too many cat videos might be bad for your soul.
1:04:46-end. Viewer question.
Again, here’s the link to recording (Passcode: $2?BHAN4).
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