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dale_kooyenga's review
3.0
This book was alight, expensive for the length and content. Didn't educate me much I what I have already observed. The book has a good mix of personal interviews and nation wide statistics. America's religious foundation is changing, but what may be reducing in quantity may be improving in quality.
There are some interesting observations.....
1 - We listen more to an ex-drug addict about the dangers of drugs versus the non-user off the street. An interesting but real, reality. For this reason, the rise of the percentage of the population that once had a religion but now has turned to speak down on religion is effective. It exponentially increases the rate of individuals walking away from this needed aspect of the individual and community.
2 - Trends will not necessarily continue. We may be approaching the European-like floor. I will also point out that the Bible points to a remnant, not a majority.
The cross on the cover and the Christian background of the author should not mislead. This book is about a departure of faith across many religions, not just Christianity.
There are some interesting observations.....
1 - We listen more to an ex-drug addict about the dangers of drugs versus the non-user off the street. An interesting but real, reality. For this reason, the rise of the percentage of the population that once had a religion but now has turned to speak down on religion is effective. It exponentially increases the rate of individuals walking away from this needed aspect of the individual and community.
2 - Trends will not necessarily continue. We may be approaching the European-like floor. I will also point out that the Bible points to a remnant, not a majority.
The cross on the cover and the Christian background of the author should not mislead. This book is about a departure of faith across many religions, not just Christianity.
librarybeth's review
4.0
Thoughtfully written, even if it didn’t really tell me anything I didn’t already know.
jenn_sveda's review
4.0
Well-researched and interesting. I will admit that I was a little disappointed that the chapter on "Recovering Catholics" did not resonate as strongly with me as I was hoping, but that is less a flaw of Bullivant's work and more a testament to the diversity of the American Catholic experience. Overall, I think the broad-scope examinations of nonversion placed strategically between case studies of personal experiences was a clever and effective way of studying this social shift.
cardinalgirl75's review
4.0
When it comes to spiritual beliefs, I've never quite known how to describe myself. I believe in God, so I'm neither atheist nor agnostic. But ever since the age of fifteen, I've believed organized religion to be a complete sham. So what, then, do I tell people if/when I get asked about my beliefs?
I picked up this book because of the title and the description--"nonverts," whom the author, Stephen Bullivant, defines as people who were born and raised a certain faith but, somewhere along the way, stopped believing in the teachings of that church. (Sort of the opposite of a "convert.") I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the book--some enlightenment about why I lost my faith in the church, but not my faith in God? Some reassurance that I wasn't the only one? I got more of the latter than the former, as according to Bullivant, nearly a quarter of Americans identify as "nones" (either someone who was raised in a religion and no longer identified with it, or those who'd never identified with a religion in the first place).
Bullivant weaves tales from people who once belonged to various churches with some theories and evidence of why such a surprisingly large number of Americans are turning away from religion. There were parts that were a little tough to get through, but overall, I enjoyed the book.
I'm not sure how crazy I am about the term "nonvert," but honestly, I don't think there's a better one for me.
I picked up this book because of the title and the description--"nonverts," whom the author, Stephen Bullivant, defines as people who were born and raised a certain faith but, somewhere along the way, stopped believing in the teachings of that church. (Sort of the opposite of a "convert.") I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from the book--some enlightenment about why I lost my faith in the church, but not my faith in God? Some reassurance that I wasn't the only one? I got more of the latter than the former, as according to Bullivant, nearly a quarter of Americans identify as "nones" (either someone who was raised in a religion and no longer identified with it, or those who'd never identified with a religion in the first place).
Bullivant weaves tales from people who once belonged to various churches with some theories and evidence of why such a surprisingly large number of Americans are turning away from religion. There were parts that were a little tough to get through, but overall, I enjoyed the book.
I'm not sure how crazy I am about the term "nonvert," but honestly, I don't think there's a better one for me.