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Beyond Parochial Faith: A Catholic Confesses weaves the author’s story of personal pain and healing with her spiritual evolution. While growing from personal relationships, Clancy wrestles with large questions of meaning.
Readers encounter an alcoholic husband and mid-life meltdown, judgmental siblings and prudish aunts, Carl Jung and the Father-Son myth, lord-gods and sexual abuse, the Goddess and the historical Jesus, atheists, “nones,” naïve seminarians, and a gay priest, Teilhard de Chardin and quantum theory, Benedictines and Somalis.
Clancy’s spiritual transformation allows no denial of God’s existence, but her rational mind cannot accept the Christian Father/Son myth. She moves from parochial faith to faith informed by science, world religions, and dialogues with atheists.
Beyond Parochial Faith shows a deeply spiritual life independent of religion. The author’s questioning epitomizes Western spiritual evolution in the twenty-first century.
Resource Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers
Reader Comments
“Beyond Parochial Faith invites readers into deep reflections on their spiritual lives. The author takes readers on a fascinating tour through her family and the religious culture of Stearns County, Minnesota.
Vincent M. Smiles, Professor of Theology, College of St. Benedict & St. John’s University
This book is splendidly written. Its intimate feel pulls readers “beyond” constricting ideas to adventurous visions about God, church, women, doctrine and other religions. With intimate sharing and courage, Clancy sheds light into the darkness of “parochial faith,” blazing a trail for others.”
Minnesota
“The author brings us into the strange world of her Puritanical childhood. We can identify with the self-doubt that torments her, yet leads her toward personal rebirth and meaning. Ms. Clancy is self-reflective without being self-involved.
Lance Becker, Northwell Health
Readers of her provocative blog will here discover how her need to escape the past sparked her independent thinking. All readers will meet a woman who is an insightful, modest, and gifted writer.”
Virginia
“Clancy emphatically stays true to her “god is not three guys” mantra as she rattles patriarchal cages in this well researched and intimate biography. It shows the devastation to lives steeped in unhealthy Christian self-denial.
Karen Tate, author, radio show host, and social justice advocate
Beyond Parochial Faith might set free people who are shackled by religious conditioning, willing to accept abuse and sacrifice quietly—like good little children as God pats our heads.”
California
“I just want to tell you how much I am enjoying your book! The chapters on your troubled marriage are as good as anything I’ve read on alcoholism. Congratulations on a fine piece of work. I’ll pass it on to Al-Anon friends.”
Twelve Stepper and writer
Minnesota
Just wanted to tell you your book Beyond Parochial Faith is A-Mazing!! I started reading it last night and can’t put it down! I’m only on page 109 but I can relate to so much so far. . . . No wonder why my husband’s family from Boston think I talk funny.
Stacy from Avon, Minnesota