“Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma”: New Article for the Political Theology Network

The Political Theology Network published my short article, “Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma,” on August 29, 2026. In this article I discuss Erich Fromm’s notions of “biophilia” – the “true love of life,” and “necrophilia” – the “true love of death” or all that is inanimate. I bring these two categories in conversation with Max Weber’s conception of “charisma,” in an attempt to distinguish between those in leadership positions who are essentially in service to life, meaningful existence, eudaemonia, and those who are in pursuit of that which is devoid of life: wealth, power, status, and destructiveness. Doing so, we arrive at the concepts of “biophilic charisma” and “necrophilic charisma,” which can be utilized as a means to interrogate the political, social, cultural, and economic leaders of today.

I would like to thank Maor Levitin for giving me the opportunity to write this short piece as well as the Political Theology Network for publishing it. I was a pleasure working with both.

To read the article, follow the link: Biophilic and Necrophilic Charisma.

August 29, 2026 0

Talking Islamophobia in Dublin

On August 21st, 2026, I gave a talk about my chapter in the book, Secularism, Race, and the Politics of Islamophobia (University of Albert Press, 2025), edited by Dr. Sharmin Sadequee. My chapter is entitled “The Limits of the Translation Proviso: The Inherent Alien in the Willed-Society.” Entitled “Futures and Frontiers,” the conference was held at Dublin City University on the All Hallows campus – the site of a former monastery and Vincentian seminary. The conference was jointly sponsored by the Irish Society for the Academic Study of Religion (ISASR), the British Association for the Study of Religions (BASR), the Center for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movements (CenSAMM), and Dublin City University, School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music (DCU).

The conference was excellent, with great speakers and presenters, including Marion Bowman and Olivet Scharbrodt. My panel included Sharmin Sadequee and Alain Gabon, who both gave tremendously interesting and informative presentations on Islamophobia. A big shout out to Brad Anderson who organized the conference; it was masterfully done! I would also like to thank The University of Olivet for graciously sponsoring my work in Dublin.

For more information on the conference, see the brochure:

Conference Booklet BASR ISASR 2026-2 Download

August 27, 2026 0

The Polycrisis of our Age: A Discourse in the Philippines

On April 18, 2026, I had the wonderful opportunity to join the PAGMANGNO series of seminars held by the Philosophy Circle of the Philippines – Legazpi Chapter. In its 20th iteration, PAGMANGNO XX adopted the theme, “Philosophy in the Time of Authoritarian Regimes,” highlighting the importance of philosophy in times where actions and thoughts are being suppressed. I would like to thank my dear brother Hadje Cresencio Sadje who initiated the invitation, as well as the amazing students who had excellent questions.

May 12, 2026 0

Just Released: On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives

In late November 2025, Routledge just released the edited volume, On Christian Nationalism: Critical and Theological Perspectives, edited by David M. Gides and Joan Braune. In it, I have a chapter entitled, “Messianic Ruscism: Christian Nationalism and the Lure of Putin’s Russkii Mir,” which discusses why certain American Christian Nationalists look to palingenetic Russia, with its reversal of Soviet theomachism for the resurgence of Orthodoxy and autocracy, as a model of what they’d like to do in America. The “symphonia” of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Putinist state is a template for a renewal of “Christian America” for many self-avowed Christian Nationalists, who see “shared values” in the conservative values of the anti-West politics of Putin (and Alexander Dugin). Obviously, I’m deeply critical of this vision for America as well as for Russia. Get yourself a copy of this book. Joan and David did an excellent job!

You can find the book at Routledge’s website: On Christian Nationalism.

November 26, 2025 1

Discussing the “Magic Helper” at the Self & Society Symposium – Chicago

On August 7th, I had the wonderful opportunity to discuss my book, The Dark Charisma of Donald Trump: Political Psychology and the MAGA Movement, at the Self Society Symposium (SSS) at Loyola University in Chicago. The SSS is coordinated by the great scholar, Lauren Langman, of Loyola University. I was joined by many other sociologists, psychologists, theologians, and philosophers to discuss ongoing issues in our society, especially the U.S. drift towards authoritarianism. In my presentation, I used Erich Fromm’s notion of the “Magic Helper,” found in his seminal 1941 book, Escape from Freedom, to highlight how Trump’s most submissive devotees perceive him as a national messianic force. We had a wonderful dinner and discourse the night before our symposium at Lauren’s house in Lincoln Park, for which Lauren was the most gracious host.

If you are interested in my book, The Dark Charisma of Donald Trump: Political Psychology and the MAGA Movement, it is available three different ways: Ekpyrosis Press Website; Amazon; Lulu.

August 9, 2025 0

New Book Chapter: St. Paul, Carl Schmitt, and Alexander Dugin on the Katechon

The book, The Many Faces of Christianism: The ‘Russian World in Europe, edited by Mariëtta van der Tol, Sophia R.C. Johnson, Petr Kratochvíl, and Zoran Grazdanov, has just been published by DeGruyter-Brill, in their Political and Public Theologies series. In this book, I have a chapter entitled, “From St. Paul and Carl Schmitt to Alexander Dugin: The Katechon as a Political Category in Empire building,” wherein I trace the development of the notion of the “Katechon” (The Restrainer of the Apocalypse) through St. Paul’s theology, Schmitt’s political theology, and Dugin’s political philosophy. This book chapter came out of a paper I presented at a 2023 conference, Political Theologies after Christendom, at the University of Oxford, New College. The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has written the forward. I’d like to send a big thanks to all those who contributed to the book, and to all those who edited the book; it is a work of sheer genius!

An email response from a colleague: “Having just read your excellent article “The Russian Restrainer of the Apocalypse: The Katechon in St. Paul, Carl Schmitt, and Alexander Dugin,” I would like to express my admiration and hope that your astute analysis will be widely read.” ~ Dr. Michael Hagemeister (Ruhr University Bochum Germany, Department of East European History).

If you’d like to read my chapter, you can download it below:

Byrd – Katechon – 2025 Download

To purchase a copy of the book, see Brill: The Many Faces of Christianism, or see Amazon: The Many Faces of Christianism

Or, as the book is open access, download the whole book for free here:

Book – The Many Faces of Christianism Download

August 5, 2025 0

“Critical Theory in an Age of Social Disintegration” – ICST Conference in Bristol, UK

On July 17-19, the Institute for Critical Social Theory hosted their inaugural conference at the University of Bristol, UK. I was a great honor to welcome so many scholars to the ICST event. We had thirteen presentations, two plenary addresses, and a round table discussion about critical theory during times of war (See the schedule below). We are looking forward to our next conference in 2026, with Istanbul being the agreed upon destination. Keep an eye out for that Call for Papers.

ICST 2025 Conference Schedule Download

If you’d like to listen to my plenary address, wherein I discuss what it means to be critical in an age of social disintegration, you can find it on YouTube:

For more information on the Institute for Critical Social Theory, please visit our website: ICST

July 25, 2025 1

“Terribilis Occidentalis: A Dialectical Critique of Oikophobia,” just released:

My latest article, “Terribilis Occidentalis: A Dialectical Critique of Oikophobia,” was just published in Critical Perspectives (Vol. 1, no. 1). This is the new journal of the Institute for Critical Social Theory, of which I am the founder and co-director. In this article, I deal with the problem of Leftist oikophobia, the pathological hatred for all things “ours” (Western), arguing that this pathology is extremely dangerous, as it forecloses on that which is still salvageable, rescuable, and good within Western civilization, especially its intellectual tradition. Additionally, I argue that once the Left abandons the West via “abstract negation,” as opposed to “determinate negation” (Aufheben) they leave a powerful tradition and legacy in the hands of the far-right, who will use it as a weapon against all those they deem “other,” i.e., those they view as not belonging to the West. The new journal will be published bi-annually, so consider submitting your work!

Critical Perspectives Vol 1 No 1 Download

July 8, 2025 0

Islamophobia in Granada, Spain

On May 22, 2025, I had the awesome opportunity to present my work on the metaphysics of Islamophobia at the Fourth Annual International Islamophobia Studies Research Association (IISRA) Conference, which took place in the shadow of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The conference was sponsored by the Instituto de la Paz y los Conflictos (Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies) and Departments Studios Semiticos (Department of Semitic Studies), at the University of Granada. My presentation was based on my chapter in the new book, Secularism, Race, and the Politics of Islamophobia (University of Alberta Press), edited by Dr. Sharmin Sadequee. The chapter is entitled, “The Limits of the Translation Proviso: The Inherent Alien in the Willed-Community,” wherein I discussed Habermas’ “translation proviso” for Muslims in the West, its problems, and the rightwing retreat into metaphysical Islamophobia, especially in the concept of the “Volksgemeinschaft” (ethnic community), as a means of marginalizing Muslims in post-secular societies. No trip to Granada is complete without a tour of the Alhambra and the Albaicín part of the city, which is a historically Muslim part of the city. I also toured the Monastery of St. Jerome, Cartuja de Granada (Carthusian Monastery), and the Basílica Catedral Metropolitana de la Encarnación (Granada Cathedral), which sits on the remains of the central mosque of Granada. I also visited the Islamic madrasa (which is not a madrasa anymore) and the square in which Catholic Spaniards burned the Islamic books from the madrasa. This was an amazing conference and visit to Andalusia. I look forward to returning to visit Seville and Cordoba.

Fourth Annual International Islamophobia Studies Research Association (IISRA) Conference Download