Irish Times columnist tells of his initial faith, his loss of it, and finally how he regained it.

In 1961, 13 black and white people - the Freedom Riders - tested the ban on segregation in interstate travel by going together from Washington to New Orleans. This is the account of a young black Briton following their route in the late 1990s.

Based in the idea that social phenomena are best studied through the lens of different disciplinary perspectives, Empty Churches studies the growing number of individuals who no longer affiliate with a religious tradition. Co-editors Jan Stets, a social psychologist, and James Heft, a historian of theology, bring together leading scholars in the fields of sociology, developmental psychology, gerontology, political science, history, philosophy, and pastoral theology. The scholars in this volume explore the phenomenon by drawing from each other's work to understand better the multi-faceted nature of non-affiliation today. They explore the complex impact that non-affiliation has on individuals and the wider society, and what the future looks like for religion in America. The book also features insightful perspectives from parents of young adults and interviews with pastors struggling with this issue who address how we might address this trend. Empty Churches provides a rich and thoughtful analysis on non- affiliation in American society from multiple scholarly perspectives. The increasing growth of non-affiliation threatens the vitality and long-term stability of religious institutions, and this book offers guidance on maintaining the commitment and community at the heart of these institutions.

This is an investigation of what it's like to be 'not religious' in secular Britain today. It draws attention to the ways in which the 'not religious' engage with 'religious' matters i.e. what it means to live and die, weddings and funerals, and identifying with or against people according to their religious or non-religious views and cultures.

When I reached age 80, I decided that it was time to organize my thoughts about my life and my impending death. Jokingly, I had often described myself as a "Hopeful Agnostic." Now, I'm not certain that that is an accurate description. This book is my attempt to answer the age-old questions about life, death and the hereafter. I know full well that the answers may never be found, but the quest might lead to my peace of mind and more self-awareness. One can only hope.

Waters explores the process by which the hope of a society was sabotaged and plundered in the name of a mis-defined freedom.