Sunday, January 26, 2014

Stepping Out in Faith: Former Catholics Tell Their Stories edited by Mark Gilbert



This book really spoke to me as a former Catholic.  I found myself relating to each person’s story in one way or another.  There were parts that could have come directly from me.  Each individual had a different story on what led them to move away from the Catholic Church, but it seemed that one of the common ideas was not having a personal relationship with God.  Omar Anheluk, in his story says about God “..I didn’t know him.  I knew of him, and I knew about him, but I didn’t know him personally.”  I experienced that myself and could completely understand that feeling.  Another of the authors, Angelo Porcu, says of the mass, “Although there were always Bible readings, I could never find the connection between the priest’s message and the passages that were read.”  I remember thinking those exact thoughts multiple times while attending mass – more often than not.

If you are a former Catholic, you will relate to these stories and may feel better about the decision to leave the church knowing that you are not alone.  If you are Catholic, you may find you relate to these stories and they will make you think.  I am not saying that you can’t have a personal relationship with God or understand his Word if you are Catholic, but I think it will take extra effort outside the church for that to happen.  Read the Bible yourself.  Don’t rely on the church for your salvation.  Jesus is the only way to salvation.  Being a Christian is what is important, that should come first before any denomination and, to me, that was not how the Catholic Church seemed to work.  And reading this book, I found I was not alone. 

*I received a free copy of this book from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for writing a fair review.*

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