Faith Lost and Faith Kept

An interview with Martin Thielen about his new (free) book:

My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains

August 6, 2024

[Martin Thielen, founder and author of Doubter’s Parish, recently released a new (free) book titled My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains. In the following interview, Martin’s longtime editor and friend (and freelance author) Judi Hayes asks him some questions about the new book.]

What motivated you to write this book?

Last year I posted an article on my website called My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains. At the time I worried it would offend people. Never before had I written so transparently about my spiritual journey from traditional to nontraditional faith. It quickly gained an exceptionally large readership. It also generated hundreds of email responses from readers. Virtually all of them said, in one way or another, “Your story is my story.” A few weeks later an editor friend encouraged me to expand the article into a book. He felt readers would identify with my story of faith lost and faith kept and find it relevant for their own journey. That nudge, along with the large readership and heartfelt responses to the article, led me to write the book.

What is the main theme?

In short, My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains tells my story of deconstructing and reconstructing faith. It also explains how I finally found resolution for my lifelong struggle with faith, bringing welcome relief and much-needed closure to my intense religious angst.

Who is the target audience?

The book was written for the large and growing number of people who struggle with traditional Christian beliefs and institutional religion but still seek a faith/spirituality that makes sense for the twenty-first century. If that describes you, this book was written on your behalf.

What is the primary goal of your book?

My goal is not to convince people to leave traditional faith or embrace nontraditional faith. In fact, if you are comfortable with traditional religion, this book is not for you. Instead, my goal is to assist people who are already shifting away from traditional faith and/or institutional religion and need some encouragement and help on that (often dicey) journey.

Can you give us a brief overview of the content?

Part 1 tells about my deconstruction of traditional religion, including losing faith in a literal Bible, the evangelical church, traditional doctrines, the providence of God, institutional religion, and a theistic view of God. Part 2 tells about reconstructing a viable faith that works for me (and many others) in today’s modern, complex world.

What do you hope people will take away from the book?

First, I hope they will realize they are not alone. Millions of people are on a similar path of deconstruction and reconstruction. Second, I hope they will realize that losing traditional faith does not mean one has to abandon faith altogether. Third, I hope they will realize that it’s possible to find a satisfying (although incomplete) resolution to faith struggle and angst. Finally, I hope they will realize that authentic faith always includes uncertainty and ambiguity and to grow comfortable with that reality.

Is your new book appropriate for group study?

Yes, a study guide is included. Book clubs, progressive Sunday school classes, and other groups will enjoy reading and discussing My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains.

 If you had to summarize the Christian faith in a few words, what would you say?

If I had to summarize everything I’ve learned (so far) about Christianity into two sentences, this is what I would say: The Christian faith is not primarily about a book, a creed, an institution, or even a religion. Instead, it’s primarily about living a life of love. I unpack that summary in detail in the book.

You write a lot about religious doubts. Why is that?

Because I’m a lifelong doubter! If I had to summarize my religious journey with one Bible verse, I would choose Matthew 28:17: “When they [the early disciples] saw him [the risen Christ], they worshiped him; but some doubted” (NIV, emphasis added). For over fifty years, since my affirmation of faith and baptism as a teenager, I have worshipped God and Christ. But like some of Jesus’s early followers, I have also doubted. A lot. Thankfully, I have found significant resolution to those doubts, as the book explains. Through the years I’ve discovered that huge numbers of people have similar doubts about traditional beliefs and institutional religion, so I write for this group of people.

Tell us about your website.

After I retired, I decided to create a website for religious doubters, seekers, and strugglers called Doubter’s Parish. Part of it was therapy. It helped me deal with my transition from traditional to nontraditional faith. Part of it was my retirement plan. I don’t garden, golf, fish, or do woodworking. Instead, my avocation is writing. So I decided to create my own little publishing house for my retirement. Finally, I wanted to help people who, like me, are grappling with faith in the twenty-first century. The website is entirely nonmonetized. All of the materials are free, including My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains, my 2021 novel An Inconvenient Loss of Faith, monthly posts, articles, stories, and resources for clergy. My work with Doubter’s Parish brings me a lot of fulfillment and joy.

What are your future writing plans?

By the end of the year, I hope to add a “Group” section to Doubter’s Parish for progressive Sunday school classes and other small groups. Eventually, I plan to write another nonfiction book. The tentative title is But Some Doubted (a direct quote from Matthew 28:17, which I noted earlier in this interview). I’m also toying around with writing another novel. My working title is A Highly Ambitious Minister. It would tell the story of a clergyman who loses everything (that matters) to his obsessive ambition, including his family and ministerial vocation. However, since I believe in grace and like happy endings, I would likely offer him a second chance to get it right.

Finally, tell us a little bit more about yourself.

Before my retirement I served as a pastor in the United Methodist Church. In my younger years I worked for the Southern Baptist Convention, including a stint at denominational headquarters as a worship and preaching editor, author, teacher, and consultant. I’ve pastored small, medium, and large churches, including a megachurch. I’ve published hundreds of articles and nine books including the bestselling What’s the Least I Can Believe and Still Be a Christian? My wife and I reside in Cookeville, Tennessee. We have two grown children and two young grandchildren. My hobbies including writing, walking, cycling, reading, playing the guitar, and journaling.

NOTE: You can access (at no cost) My Long Farewell to Traditional Religion and What Remains on this website.

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