In a Dark Wood
Journeys of Faith and Doubt
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In a Dark Wood: Journeys of Faith and Doubt
Doubt is as natural an experience as faith and what theologian Paul Tillich called an indispensable component of authentic faith. In this book an extraordinary range of writers talks about the moment—often devastating—when they turned to God only to find neither God's presence nor consolation. Where once silence was filled with peace, now that silence signals only emptiness.
In a Dark Wood features a diverse group of voices describing unlikely and often moving journeys toward or away from faith—Protestants, Catholics, and Jews; laypeople and religious professionals; activists, poets, politicians, and ordinary people. In addition, dozens of readings, poems, and prayers reflect on belief and doubt, on the loss of faith and its rediscovery, from the Psalmists, medieval saints, and such luminaries as W. B. Yeats and T. S. Eliot, James Baldwin and Joseph Heller, Maya Angelou and Isabel Allende, Henri Nouwen and Walter Brueggemann, Nelson Mandela and Daniel Berrigan.
- Publisher Fortress Press
- Format Paperback
- ISBN 9780800636241
- Dimensions 7 x 8
- Pages 232
- Publication Date December 31, 2003
Excerpts
"Whatever the reason for your doubts or loss of faith,
we hope you will find something here that helps you realize you are not alone. And you will also find here stories of the journeys people have made back to faith, once or many times. The phoenix of hope can rise
from the ashes of abandonment."
— from the Introduction
— from the Introduction
Reviews
Doubt haunts even the most faithful. It assails us when tragedy occurs, a question offers no answer, an upbringing no longer satisfies a maturing understanding. In A Dark Wood: Journey to the Light gathers interviews and readings on the subject of doubt and presents a rich spectrum of response.
All the voices in Part One, "There Is No God," shudder from a loss of faith and the absence of God — what Jane Harvey describes as "the end of safety." They describe poignantly the weight of their pain and the shadow of their hopelessness.
In Part Two, "Doubts on the Journey," the writers speak of the doubt that often accompanies faith. I was drawn to the varied stories of people whose religious upbringings didn't give them space to think for themselves. As part of their journey, these writers chose to be more engaged in the world — as peace and social justice activists, as politicians — and to forge connections between what they believe and how they live.
The writers in Part Three, "Phoenix of Faith," share a certainty of God's existence and goodness, yet refuse complacency. Gerald O'Mahony refers to such a response as "using your spiritual muscles all the time." He contends, "it is the people who find faith difficult that have the strongest faith."
The stories and readings gathered in this book are satisfying and engaging in their honesty. They describe a contemporary faith that is more compassionate, more personal, and, ultimately, more reflective of the world.
—Lenore Franzen, communications consultant from St. Paul, Minnesota, recently completed a historical novel
All the voices in Part One, "There Is No God," shudder from a loss of faith and the absence of God — what Jane Harvey describes as "the end of safety." They describe poignantly the weight of their pain and the shadow of their hopelessness.
In Part Two, "Doubts on the Journey," the writers speak of the doubt that often accompanies faith. I was drawn to the varied stories of people whose religious upbringings didn't give them space to think for themselves. As part of their journey, these writers chose to be more engaged in the world — as peace and social justice activists, as politicians — and to forge connections between what they believe and how they live.
The writers in Part Three, "Phoenix of Faith," share a certainty of God's existence and goodness, yet refuse complacency. Gerald O'Mahony refers to such a response as "using your spiritual muscles all the time." He contends, "it is the people who find faith difficult that have the strongest faith."
The stories and readings gathered in this book are satisfying and engaging in their honesty. They describe a contemporary faith that is more compassionate, more personal, and, ultimately, more reflective of the world.
—Lenore Franzen, communications consultant from St. Paul, Minnesota, recently completed a historical novel
Table of Contents
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Introduction
PART ONE — THERE IS NO GOD
Anonymous
Jane Harvey
PART TWO — DOUBTS ON THE JOURNEY
Tony Benn
Rupert M. Loydell
John Bell
Sr. Petra Boex
Annabel Shilson-Thomas
Christopher Hall
Bruce Kent
Colin Parry
Lionel Blue
Chris Cole
Gerard W. Hughes
Jeannine Gramick
Bernadette Farrell
Myra Poole
Dame Joanna Jamieson
Geoffrey Duncan
Stephen Timms, MP
Gerald O'Mahony
Denis Hurley
Dr. Hans Popper
Joan D. Chittister, OSB
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index of Authors