Believing Again: A Story Request
I need your help. I’m ruminating on the possibility of writing a book (oh lucky world!). My tentative title is Believing Still, Believing Again (or maybe just Believing Again). If it happens, it will address the overall question—within which there are of course many smaller questions—of why some people who have left faith in God have later returned to faith—and to the church. The book would focus especially, but not exclusively, on Christians.
Where I need help is in gathering stories of folks who have taken this journey.
There have been many books and studies in recent decades documenting and analyzing the phenomenon of people leaving faith and the church—especially the young. Most of them take a social science approach to the issue—lots of data, surveys, interviews, graphs, charts, and the like. But I have found much less on why some of those leavers (one estimate is 40%) eventually return to faith and the church.
Believing Again would not be a social science book. Instead, it would be based on reflections on my own experience and on the stories I have heard in nearly forty years of teaching college students and writing about faith and doubt. This book wouldn’t prove anything; it would simply testify. That has been my approach to exploring faith—both in my own life and in writing—throughout most of my life.
So I’m asking if you have such a story to tell yourself and are willing to tell it, or know someone who does—to whom you might pass on this request. Here are some details:
the need is for the story of someone who had faith (say at least until late adolescence or early adulthood, or any age thereafter) and who either drifted away from or decisively left faith, and who later consciously chose to return to faith and to the church. So I’m not looking for stories of first-time conversions or of folks who have left faith and not returned.
it would be useful if you could articulate why you left. What were key factors—both as you understood them at the time and as you think back on it now?
even more important is why you returned—the believing again? What was your time away like? What were factors that lead you back?
I would also welcome, but not require, your thoughts about faith and church now. How do you conceive of the/your life of faith? How do you think about the church? What has changed from how you thought about these things when you were a younger believer?
you would need to be willing for me to use some of your story in this proposed book, though personal identity could of course be easily protected. As you would expect, I will not be able to use every story.
I am open to both written and oral responses from an interview. If you would like, I can provide a brief list of questions that can serve as prompts (for instance, “Were there individuals who were important to your return? Things you read?”) But I don’t want to over direct people’s stories. I can also do zoom interviews, depending on how many respond to this request, though I’m not a great zoomer. Perhaps it would be best to get a written overview first, even if only a brief one, and then a decision can be made about a possible face-to-face meeting—on zoom or otherwise.
I would also welcome suggestions for books or articles that are relevant. (For instance, Dan Wakefield’s Returning.)
If you can help, please reach out through my contact form.
I appreciate it. And blessings.