Righteous Religion

Why are so many individuals discouraged, at spiritual dead ends, even when they are active participants in their churches? Righteous Religion exposes the authoritarian misuse of Christian teaching that often leaves its members ignored, chastised, or belittled. This new book offers hope for anyone who has struggled with disillusionment in the face of an unbending religious system. After unmasking a bewildering network of illusions that operate beneath the surface of Fundamentalism and dogmatic Catholicism, the authors help readers find their own voices of truth. This is a candid book that analyzes the grip of Fundamentalism and Catholicism on their respective followers, despite financial and sexual scandals, misuse of power and influence, apparent hypocrisy, and selective self-righteousness of these two religious systems. Using real life stories of ordinary people in ordinary churches, Righteous Religion demonstrates that the efforts involved in maintaining illusions are incompatible with claiming a personal spiritual voice. The authors discuss the relationship between the breakdown of erroneous notions and the growth that will involve readers in finding their own voice. From the stories presented, readers will see the journey progress from questioning previously unquestioned assumptions, reclaiming the best out of their religious traditions, and then transcending that which is no longer viable by grieving over illusions, learning to live with paradox, and transforming illusions into a new, valid, and spiritually personal religious truth. As readers begin the journey of finding their own spiritual voice, their experiences will be validated by the prose and stories in Righteous Religion. Those outside of Fundamentalism and Catholicism can begin to understand the practices of these religious groups through the authors’clear explanation of the dynamics and inner workings of creed bound Fundamentalism and Catholicism. This book has appeal to anyone--whether from within or outside religious tradition--who has questioned the grip of Fundamentalism and Catholicism on individuals.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The acclaimed social psychologist challenges conventional thinking about morality, politics, and religion in a way that speaks to conservatives and liberals alike—a “landmark contribution to humanity’s understanding of itself” (The New York Times Book Review). Drawing on his twenty-five years of groundbreaking research on moral psychology, Jonathan Haidt shows how moral judgments arise not from reason but from gut feelings. He shows why liberals, conservatives, and libertarians have such different intuitions about right and wrong, and he shows why each side is actually right about many of its central concerns. In this subtle yet accessible book, Haidt gives you the key to understanding the miracle of human cooperation, as well as the curse of our eternal divisions and conflicts. If you’re ready to trade in anger for understanding, read The Righteous Mind.

In Righteous Gentiles Sean Durbin critically analyses the rhetoric of prominent Christian Zionists in America and the way their strategies of mythmaking function to represent their identities and activities as authentically religious.

"These chapters came into being over a period of about five years and were written in many places and under a variety of interesting circumstances. They are in no sense quiet religious essays, but were born in the midst of life; and while they have, as I hope, heaven in full view, they are never too far removed from the rough world where the children of God struggle and work and pray."

Why are so many individuals discouraged, at spiritual dead ends, even when they are active participants in their churches? Righteous Religion exposes the authoritarian misuse of Christian teaching that often leaves its members ignored, chastised, or belittled. This new book offers hope for anyone who has struggled with disillusionment in the face of an unbending religious system. After unmasking a bewildering network of illusions that operate beneath the surface of Fundamentalism and dogmatic Catholicism, the authors help readers find their own voices of truth. This is a candid book that analyzes the grip of Fundamentalism and Catholicism on their respective followers, despite financial and sexual scandals, misuse of power and influence, apparent hypocrisy, and selective self-righteousness of these two religious systems. Using real life stories of ordinary people in ordinary churches, Righteous Religion demonstrates that the efforts involved in maintaining illusions are incompatible with claiming a personal spiritual voice. The authors discuss the relationship between the breakdown of erroneous notions and the growth that will involve readers in finding their own voice. From the stories presented, readers will see the journey progress from questioning previously unquestioned assumptions, reclaiming the best out of their religious traditions, and then transcending that which is no longer viable by grieving over illusions, learning to live with paradox, and transforming illusions into a new, valid, and spiritually personal religious truth. As readers begin the journey of finding their own spiritual voice, their experiences will be validated by the prose and stories in Righteous Religion. Those outside of Fundamentalism and Catholicism can begin to understand the practices of these religious groups through the authors’clear explanation of the dynamics and inner workings of creed bound Fundamentalism and Catholicism. This book has appeal to anyone--whether from within or outside religious tradition--who has questioned the grip of Fundamentalism and Catholicism on individuals.

The author examines the 'Word of Faith' movement, an American non-denominational movement that preaches the so-called 'health & wealth gospel'. In particular the study focuses on the response to the movement from the African American community.

This book is an inspiration to a new form of Christian life for many. It was published in 1536 in Latin and revolutionized the Christian world. It became one of the books that laid the basis for the establishment of Protestant churches. In the book, Calvin strongly criticizes what he believes are unorthodox teachings and the policy of the Catholic Church. The book considers the knowledge of God the Creator and the creation of a man. He also speculates on the topic of what humankind is and what people know about The Creator.