Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light - Softcover

Tarico Ph.D., Valerie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0977392937 ISBN 13: 9780977392933

Publisher: Oracle Institute Press, LLC, 2010

Synopsis

Most Evangelical Christians earnestly strive to worship the God of Love and Truth. But a belief that the Bible is literally perfect can put them in the odd position of defending falsehood, bigotry, and even violence. What do Evangelicals believe? And how do these beliefs subvert humanity's shared moral values, including the compassionate ministry of Jesus in the New Testament? Is the Good Book even “good,” given its historical inaccuracies, scientific impossibilities, and moral contradictions? Trusting Doubt answers all these questions … and more. It also provides a clear picture of this variant of Christianity which has risen to political prominence at a spiritual cost. Raised in a staunch fundamentalist family and educated at Wheaton College – home of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelicalism – Valerie Tarico speaks as a former "insider." She offers alternative biblical, social, and scientific explanations that are compatible with contemporary Christianity, interfaith understanding, and non-theism. Gratefully, Tarico's unique voice as a former Evangelical provides a scholarly yet accessible path away from fundamentalism and toward spiritual clarity – a journey based on logic, love, and the quest for truth. [Revised edition of: The Dark Side © 2006]

About this title

Review

"Every human, at one time or another, must recognize and confront doubt. Tarico offers a moving account of her gradual willingness to trust her own doubts about religion and the ultimate questions of life, despite a religious upbringing that taught her to fear those same thoughts. At the same time, Tarico brings a clarifying perspective to this process, combining a psychologist’s analytical ability with the incisive skills of a gifted and introspective writer. Whether you are a practiced doubter or have hardly begun, welcome to the journey."
—Dale McGowan, Ph.D., author of Parenting Beyond Belief, Raising Freethinkers, and In Faith and In Doubt

"Trusting Doubt powerfully affirms the message of religious history: The world’s religions are moving through successive developmental stages, the ultimate fruit of which is higher levels of inclusivity and, thus, of Love."
—Kurt Johnson, Ph.D., co-founder of the Interspiritual Network and co-author of The Coming Interspiritual Age

“Tarico’s book is candid, authentic, insightful, engaging, and beautifully written. From the moment I began reading, I felt as if we were best friends sharing a spiritual journey, and such a friend is indeed a gift from the Divine!”
—Rev. Donna L. Johnson, President of Unity Church Worldwide Ministries

“Tarico is devastatingly honest in bursting cherished illusions of literalist Christianity. In sharing the journey of her soul, Tarico’s well-reasoned comments open doors, bringing fresh air and new light to the spiritual quest.”
—Margaret Starbird, author of The Woman with the Alabaster Jar

“Trusting Doubt is an astounding and insightful expose of today’s Evangelical phenomenon. In it, Tarico expertly examines the roots of the movement along with its contradictions and inconsistencies. The book also weaves the author’s own fascinating story of spiritual and intellectual struggle. Tarico’s unique combination of impressive scholarship and beautiful prose makes this one of the finest books I have ever read on the topic of today’s Religious Right. It is a ‘must read’ for anyone wanting to understand the movement.”
—Carlene Cross, author of Fleeing Fundamentalism: A Minister’s Wife Examines Faith

“Dr. Tarico’s message is unique, exquisite, and deeply rooted in a heartfelt and experiential understanding of extremism. Her insights are delightfully fragrant with wisdom, compassion, and hope. Regardless of your belief system, her words will splash in your chest!”
—Jamal Rahman, Sufi Muslim Minister at Interfaith Community Church

“Spiritual inquiry is the beginning of a lifelong journey toward Truth. And when we discover Truth, we begin to trust and to build a philosophy of deeper awareness of life’s meaning and our own purpose. No longer just following, but asking critical questions about our Bible, we learn who we are and why we are here. This book guides the reader to inner peace and shared harmony.”
—Nina Meyerhof, Ed.D., President of Children of the Earth Foundation, recipient of the Mother Teresa Award and International Educators Award, and co-author of Conscious Education and Pioneering Spiritual Activism

“I’ve not bonded with a book like this since I read Constantine’s Sword in 2005!”
—Mikey Weinstein, author of With God on Our Side

About the Author

Valerie Tarico, Ph.D., is a former fundamentalist Christian and graduate of Wheaton College, a bastion of Evangelical education. She holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Iowa and completed postdoctoral studies at the University of Washington. Trusting that "All Truth is God's Truth," Dr. Tarico committed to follow her spiritual questions wherever they might lead. Ultimately they led her away from Evangelicalism. Currently, Dr. Tarico writes for the Huffington Post and ExChristian.net. She also hosts a television series in Seattle, Washington, on "Moral Politics." Not satisfied with spending all her energy critiquing Christianity, Dr. Tarico promotes interfaith dialogue Valerie Tarico, Ph.D., is a former fundamentalist Christian and graduate of Wheaton College, a bastion of Evangelical education. She holds a doctorate in counseling psychology from the University of Iowa and completed postdoctoral studies at the University of Washington. Trusting that "All Truth is God's Truth," Dr. Tarico committed to follow her spiritual questions wherever they might lead. Ultimately they led her away from Evangelicalism. Currently, Dr. Tarico writes for the Huffington Post and ExChristian.net. She also hosts a television series in Seattle, Washington, on "Moral Politics." Not satisfied with spending all her energy critiquing Christianity, Dr. Tarico promotes interfaith dialogue and the shared values that link all humanity. She speaks to churches and secular groups on topics such as moral development, the psychology of belief, and wisdom convergence. She also manages WisdomCommons.org, an interactive website that allows users to find and discuss information on values that are shared across secular and religious wisdom traditions.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oracle Institute Press, LLC
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0977392937
• ISBN 13: 9780977392933
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 282