The Rise and Fall of Faith: A God-to-Godless Story for Christians and Atheists

The story of religion in 21st century America has been defined, in large part, by the stories of zealous pastors moving beyond their faith to embrace a life of reason. But too often and too quickly ardent believers dismiss such accounts as aberrations. Meanwhile atheists and other skeptics struggle to understand what took such individuals so long to make the exit. The questions posed by one side inevitably mirror those asked by the other. What does "real" faith look like and how do you know it when you have it? And what allows anyone to be so sure their beliefs are based in reality? What would it take for believers to stop believing in God? And what would it take for nonbelievers to begin? Drawing on the author's own story as a former evangelical pastor powerless to stop his turn to atheism, The Rise and Fall of Faith touches on these and other questions. While the aim of the book is to initiate a much-needed conversation between Christians and atheists, it will be up to each of us to carry the discussion forward--in the evaluation of our own inner thoughts, in the assumptions we make about the other side, and in how we work together in the pursuit of understanding and common ground as we navigate the world's quickly changing religious landscape.