This book focuses attention on the central elements of human religious existence. Vergote's primary aim and viewpoint are clear: to examine empirically and to interpret dynamically the psychological factors at work in the field of religion. Vergote consistently adheres to the position that psychology is neither philosophy nor theology and that its task is not to explain religion. In this work he situates religion as a cultural fact and studies how persons orient themselves to it, positively and/or negatively. Rather than emphasise and juxtapose belief and unbelief as alternative positions, he sees them as threads of experiences interwoven throughout the human existence of persons and institutions. In this context he studies motivations and their ambivalences, religious experiences and their ambiguities, conflicts between religious belief and unbelief, and the various expressions and practices of religion.

This is perhaps the most widely read of Michael Novak's books. Belief and Unbelief attempts to push intelligence and articulation as far as possible into the stuff of what so many philosophers set aside as subjectivity. It is an impassioned critique of the idea of an unbridgeable gap between the emotive and the cognitive and in its own way, represents a major thrust at positivist analysis. Written in a context of personal tragedy as well as intellectual search, the book is grounded in the belief that human experience is enclosed within a person to person relationship with the source of all things sometimes in darkness, other tunes in aridity, but always in deep encounter with community and courage. It is written with a deep fidelity to classical Catholic thought as well as a sense of the writings of sociology, anthropology, and political theoryfrom Harold Lasswell to Friedrich von Hayek. This third edition includes Novak's brilliant 1961 article "God in the Colleges" from Harper's a critique of the technification of university life that rules issues of love, death, and personal destiny out of bounds, and hence leaves aside the mysteries of contingency and risk, in favor of the certainties of research, production, and consumption. For such a "lost generation" Belief and Unbelief will remain of tremendous interest and impact. When the book first appeared thirty years ago, it was praised by naturalists and religious thinkers alike. Sidney Hook called it "a remarkable book, written with verve and distinction." James Collins termed it "a lively and valuable essay from which a reflective, religiously concerned reader can draw immense profit." And The Washington Post reviewer claimed that "Novak has written a rich, relentlessly honest introduction to the problem of belief. It is a deeply personal book, rigorous in argument and open ended in conclusions."

Why do some people lose their faith?Why do some choose to abandon religious beliefs that were once meaningful to them?And what happens when they do?In this no-holds-barred book, Ruth Tucker tackles the tough questions about losing faith. Providing historical perspective, she looks at the stories of prominent Christians, like Chuck Templeton and Billy Graham, who have struggled with faith. She grapples with difficult philosophical and theological issues, exploring the intractable questions that bring people to the point of losing faith--suffering, science, answer to prayer, hypocrisy in the church, and more. Throughout the book, she explores the testimonies of some who have made the choice to walk away--and some who have returned.Tucker writes not just as a detached observer but as one who has also struggled with doubt and disappointment. In Walking Away from Faith, she shares her from her experience and tells you why she continues to choose faith. Reading her story and her interviews of others, you will find help for working through your own questions and doubts. You will also find insight for ministering to your friends, family, coworkers and neighbors who stumble between belief and unbelief.

"First, a scholarly work on such a "hot" theme as belief and unbelief requires considerable personal involvement and existential engagement on the part of the writer. My ambition to do an honest, scientific job on the topic required objectivity and faithfulness to the observations that form the starting point of conceptual inquiry and systematization. My ambition to be at the same time a clinician (which I am by profession) imposed a special selectivity: a penchant for reasoning within a useful, pragmatic theoretical framework which lacks tightness and elegance but is clinically fascinating because of its hospitality to the messy details of life, and a proneness to seeing the conflictual origins and elements in many situations which may appear pure and simple to a layman. In addition, there is something in the very nature of belief, disbelief, and unbelief that is likely to make the student a participant, at some level, in the material with which he deals."

This book focuses attention on the central elements of human religious existence. Vergote's primary aim and viewpoint are clear: to examine empirically and to interpret dynamically the psychological factors at work in the field of religion. Vergote consistently adheres to the position that psychology is neither philosophy nor theology and that its task is not to explain religion. In this work he situates religion as a cultural fact and studies how persons orient themselves to it, positively and/or negatively. Rather than emphasise and juxtapose belief and unbelief as alternative positions, he sees them as threads of experiences interwoven throughout the human existence of persons and institutions. In this context he studies motivations and their ambivalences, religious experiences and their ambiguities, conflicts between religious belief and unbelief, and the various expressions and practices of religion.

This is perhaps the most widely read of Michael Novak's books. Belief and Unbelief attempts to push intelligence and articulation as far as possible into the stuff of what so many philosophers set aside as subjectivity. It is an impassioned critique of the idea of an unbridgeable gap between the emotive and the cognitive ? and in its own way, represents a major thrust at positivist analysis. Written in a context of personal tragedy as well as intellectual search, the book is grounded in the belief that human experience is enclosed within a person to person relationship with the source of all things ? sometimes in darkness, other tunes in aridity, but always in deep encounter with community and courage. It is written with a deep fidelity to classical Catholic thought as well as a sense of the writings of sociology, anthropology, and political theory?from Harold Lasswell to Friedrich von Hayek. This third edition includes Novak's brilliant 1961 article "God in the Colleges" from Harper's ? a critique of the technification of university life that rules issues of love, death, and personal destiny out of bounds, and hence leaves aside the mysteries of contingency and risk, in favor of the certainties of research, production, and consumption. For such a "lost generation" Belief and Unbelief will remain of tremendous interest and impact. When the book first appeared thirty years ago, it was praised by naturalists and religious thinkers alike. Sidney Hook called it "a remarkable book, written with verve and distinction." James Collins termed it "a lively and valuable essay from which a reflective, religiously concerned reader can draw immense profit." And The Washington Post reviewer claimed that "Novak has written a rich, relentlessly honest introduction to the problem of belief. It is a deeply personal book, rigorous in argument and open ended in conclusions."