Tribalism

Eastertide is a celebration of resurrected life, which is very much the same thing as human flourishing. Central to human flourishing are Eastertide expressions such as hospitality, hope, charity, mindfulness, and mercy. However, according to evolutionary psychology, values like these aren’t easy to embody. Woven into our DNA is the natural selection of traits that have preserved our lineage over millennia. Yet, as evolutionary psychology notes, some evolutionary behaviors hold no benefit in current environments, and may even harm the pursuit of human flourishing. With this in mind, this sermon series will explore some of the inherent psychological barriers that can hinder human flourishing such as tribalism, pleasing, criticism, and the insatiable desire for more. And through the lens of neural plasticity, which is very much the same thing as repentance, we’ll be encouraged to have our minds—very literally—resurrected into new life.