Skeptic in the House of God
James L. Kelley, a skeptic about religion, writes with insight and humor of his life as a member of St. Mark's, an Episcopal church that welcomes doubters without pressuring them to compromise their intellectual integrity. When Kelley first visited the church, he was well into his forties and searching for a respite from urban malaise. At the same time, he found himself filled with disquieting questions: How could he reconcile his convictions with the central purpose of the church - to...
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James L. Kelley, a skeptic about religion, writes with insight and humor of his life as a member of St. Mark's, an Episcopal church that welcomes doubters without pressuring them to compromise their intellectual integrity. When Kelley first visited the church, he was well into his forties and searching for a respite from urban malaise. At the same time, he found himself filled with disquieting questions: How could he reconcile his convictions with the central purpose of the church - to worship a God he didn't believe in? Could he say the prayers and sing the hymns while remaining an honest skeptic? After fifteen years of full participation in a church that is open not only to skeptics but also to gay men and lesbians, blacks and Jews, where members are invited to critique Sunday sermons, and where hymns are rewritten to reflect feminist concerns, Kelley found that his agnosticism remained but his skepticism about church participation had disappeared. Modern urban life can be a sterile, isolating experience, yet in St. Mark's Kelley discovered a place of vibrant community, honest inquiry, and support over the hard places in life. Library Journal In 1982, attorney Kelley joined St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Despite his self-proclaimed skepticism about its central religious tenets and his doubts that this club would accept him as a member, he found a home at St. Mark's. His experiences of the church, both exasperating and exhilarating, form here a realistic portrayal of contemporary life inside an important American institution. After 15 years of full participation, Kelley is still an agnostic but is no longer skeptical about church participation. Modern urban life can be sterile and isolating; open-door parishes like St. Mark's offer a place of sanctuarya vibrant community, honest inquiry, and support through the tough times in life. Kelley has written a challenging, useful guide to life in the modern urban parish church that is recommended for general readers.John R. Leech, Brooklyn, N.Y.
\ Library JournalIn 1982, attorney Kelley joined St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Despite his self-proclaimed skepticism about its central religious tenets and his doubts that this club would accept him as a member, he found a home at St. Mark's. His experiences of the church, both exasperating and exhilarating, form here a realistic portrayal of contemporary life inside an important American institution. After 15 years of full participation, Kelley is still an agnostic but is no longer skeptical about church participation. Modern urban life can be sterile and isolating; open-door parishes like St. Mark's offer a place of sanctuarya vibrant community, honest inquiry, and support through the tough times in life. Kelley has written a challenging, useful guide to life in the modern urban parish church that is recommended for general readers.John R. Leech, Brooklyn, N.Y.\ \
