First published 2013
Philosopher Daniel C. Dennett conducts private interviews with religious leaders who face an impossible situation. These clergy members stand before their congregations each week, delivering sermons about faith they no longer hold. Through confidential conversations, they describe how their dedication to serving others conflicts with their personal loss of belief. The ministers and pastors reveal the weight of living double lives, knowing their paychecks depend on promoting doctrines they question. As the digital age makes information more accessible, these religious leaders worry about maintaining their positions while their doubts grow stronger. Dennett explores how this hidden crisis among clergy members signals major changes ahead for organized religion. The book exposes the human cost of lost faith for those whose careers depend on appearing faithful.
Genres: philosophy, contemporary, atheism, religion, non-fiction, biography-memoir, christianity, academic
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: double-life, hidden-crisis
269 pages · Paperback · Createspace Independent Pub