Rhythms of Habit

Rhythms of Habit—my next book—is an introduction to the virtues as moral muscles, to habits as exercises aimed at strengthening specific virtues, and to the church calendar as an annual prescription of habits aimed at forming the virtues needed to become a whole human in Christ.

The basic shape of the book is below, along with links to samples and selections. Many of these were previously shared via Substack. I have moved all of those posts here, and have made them available for free. These posts mostly represent kernels of thought, not so much the finished chapters.

Table of Contents

Introduction: 5 Premises

• Premise 1: There are older, better ways to think about what it means to be human.
• Premise 2: A desire to learn from older, better ways is formative itself.
• Premise 3: You are a moral being.
• Premise 4: You experience moral growth and moral decline whether or not you understand how moral beings work.
• Premise 5: As a moral being, you are better off knowing how moral beings work.

Part 1: The Virtues are Moral Muscles

• Virtues are Moral Muscles
• The Cardinal Virtues
• The Theological Virtues
• The Other Virtues

Part 2: Habits are Exercises for Moral Muscles

• Why Holiness Matters
• Why we need Habits
• Habits and Calendars

Part 3: The Church Calendar is an annual Prescription of Habits aimed at forming the Virtues

Click below to view posts for each Church Season.

• Advent
• Christmas
• Epiphany
• Lent
• Holy Week and the Triduum
• Easter
• Ordinary Time
• Saints