Idols of Modernity: The Human Desire for Meaning and the Migration of the Holy (Summer School)

In his recent book The Uses of Idolatry (OUP 2024), William T. Cavanaugh argues that worship has not disappeared from our supposedly «secular» world, but has merely changed its target. Instead of God, created things and structures are worshipped. Cavanaugh examines modern forms of idolatry, such as nationalism and consumer culture, and shows how people become dominated by their own creations. Drawing on insights from history, theology, philosophy, political science, sociology and cultural studies, the book recognizes idolatry as more than merely a «religious» phenomenon and views the critique of idolatry as a genuinely interdisciplinary project with the aim of revealing how and why we sacrifice ourselves and others to gods of our own design. The foχs Summer School 2026 offers an opportunity to discuss these provocative theses and approaches with the author and to explore their consequences for our view of ourselves, our culture and our academic work.

The Summer School is designed for advanced undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students in all disciplines, willing to engage in in-depth study of philosophical, intellectual-historical, and theological developments.