On not founding Rome

Book Description

In a world rushing toward globalization, Steven Schroeder offers a thoughtful pause to examine the philosophical and spiritual foundations that shape Western civilization. Writing from his unique vantage point as a Western scholar teaching in China, Schroeder presents a nuanced exploration of the intellectual traditions that formed him while maintaining a critical distance from their assumptions.

This contemplative work emerged from lectures delivered at Shenzhen University, where the author found himself uniquely positioned to question Western thought patterns that Eastern cultures are rapidly adopting. Rather than offering easy answers or wholesale rejection, Schroeder practices what he calls "disciplined criticism," examining both the gifts and shadows of Western philosophical and religious traditions.

The book weaves together theology, metaphysics, and the history of ideas, revealing the often-hidden spiritual dimensions that underlie seemingly secular concepts. Schroeder's approach is neither purely academic nor devotional, but something more complex: a scholar's honest wrestling with traditions that both nurtured and constrained his thinking.

At its heart, this work champions the spiritual practice of hesitation in an age of acceleration. It invites readers to slow down and examine the assumptions they inherit, while maintaining hope for what Schroeder envisions as a more peaceful way of being in the world. For those seeking to understand how Eastern and Western spiritual traditions might inform each other, this book offers a bridge built from careful reflection rather than quick synthesis.