Dr. Andrew Root // Sad people living in sad times

About this episode

Dr. Andrew Root discusses the themes of sadness and happiness in modern society and the role of Christianity in addressing these issues.

Welcome to the Inspired Human Podcast! Today we’ve got the one and only Dr. Andrew Root. Andy is a friend. He’s a prolific author. If you have never read his Ministry in the Secular Age book series, you have to stop what you’re doing right now and start reading. Most recently, Andy wrote a book with his wife, Kara, called Pilgrimage into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable . No surprise, but it is WONDERFUL. We talk about this book, and his other somewhat new-ish book called Evangelism in an Age of Despair: Hope beyond the Failed Promise of Happiness . In the book, Andy charts how we in the modern west have become “happiness hunters,” and how as happiness hunters we are mostly becoming sad. We live as sad people, in many cases, living in sad times. Christians, he rightfully points out, can and should console these sad people and in turn invite people to Jesus in the life of the Church. Nick published a book review for the Military Chaplaincy Review in February 2026 on Andy’s book Evangelism in an Age of Despair. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit…

People in this episode

Host: Inspired Human

Guest: Dr. Andrew Root

Topics covered

• sadness
• happiness
• Christianity
• evangelism
• parenting
• spirituality

Keywords

• sadness
• happiness
• Christianity
• evangelism
• parenting
• spirituality
• self improvement

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Military Chaplaincy Review

Books & works: Ministry in the Secular Age, Pilgrimage into Letting Go: Helping Parents and Pastors Embrace the Uncontrollable, Evangelism in an Age of Despair: Hope beyond the Failed Promise of Happiness

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