Desiring the Kingdom

James K. A. Smith's influential work emerged from his conviction that contemporary Christianity had become too intellectualized, treating faith primarily as a matter of ideas and beliefs rather than embodied practices that shape our deepest loves. Writing as a Reformed philosopher concerned about the church's engagement with culture, Smith sought to challenge the dominant assumption that humans are primarily thinking beings who act on the basis of ideas and worldviews.

Smith argues that humans are fundamentally lovers rather than thinkers, driven by desires that operate below the level of conscious reflection. He contends that all cultural institutions—from shopping malls to universities to churches—function as liturgical spaces that shape our loves through repeated practices and rituals. The mall teaches us to desire consumption, the stadium cultivates tribal loyalty, and the university forms us toward particular visions of human flourishing. Christian worship, therefore, is not simply about expressing beliefs but about the formative work of reordering our loves toward God and his kingdom. Smith draws on Augustine's understanding of humanity as defined by what we love most, arguing that Christian formation requires not just right thinking but right worship that habituates us toward kingdom desires.

The book has continued to influence discussions about Christian education, worship, and cultural engagement by providing a robust alternative to approaches that prioritize worldview analysis over liturgical formation. Smith's emphasis on embodied practices has shaped conversations in Reformed circles and beyond about how churches can better form disciples for faithful living in secular contexts. Who should read this: pastors and church leaders seeking to understand worship as formative practice, Christian educators rethinking pedagogical approaches, and believers struggling to understand why right ideas alone seem insufficient for spiritual transformation. Those looking for practical liturgical guidance or systematic theology may find Smith's philosophical approach less immediately applicable.