Miroslav Volf is one of the leading public theologians of our day. He is a professor at Yale University and the author of a new book, The Cost of Ambition.

Dr. Wolf, it's a treat to have you on. I read a lot of books and I'll tell you not only was your book interesting, but it was also personally convicting on multiple levels.

And we're going to get into that.

I'm guessing now it's a little bit of your motivation is to change the way people think

and ultimately shape the way they live.

But I'm really curious.

Why did you write this book now?

That's a very good question.

First, thank you for having me on your show.

Sure.

And mostly I write books that move me, that I'm interested myself. And that could be books about which topics of which I'm excited, or it can be kinds of books that wag their fingers, like me.

And this is one of those finger-wagging books.

Okay, okay.

That I observed certain tendencies in myself, but then I recognize that these are not just my

individual peculiarities, that these are features

actually of the broader culture in which we live.

And that was enough of motivation for me to write it.

And it was connected also partly with some lectures that I have delivered.

It was preparation for these lectures

in a small way.

So is this something that's been in the back of your mind for your life?

You've just thought about comparing myself with others, ambition, or was there like an

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