Dr. J talks with (soon to be Dr.) Griffin Gooch about something we all want but often struggle to define, and get: happiness. In a culture that equates the good life with pleasure, personal fulfillment, and getting what we want, what does it mean for Christians to understand happiness? Drawing on theology, philosophy, and the social sciences, Griffin explores the historic vision of true happiness.
The conversation considers why pursuing happiness directly can leave us disappointed, and why genuine joy often emerges when we orient our lives toward something greater than ourselves. Justin and Griffin explore the difference between happiness and hedonism, the role of spiritual disciplines in shaping our desires, and how habits and communities form as people. What if the good life isn't about maximizing pleasure, but becoming the kind of person who can experience joy more deeply?
From the power of love, kindness, delight, and goodwill in evangelism to the liturgical practices that shape our deepest desires, the conversation asks how Christian faith can help us flourish in everyday life. Rather than offering a formula for happiness, this episode invites us to reconsider what the good life looks like—and how faith might help us discover it.
Perhaps the path to greater happiness isn't making happiness the goal, but cultivating a life rooted in God, shaped by community, and attentive to the ordinary moments where joy takes hold.
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