I haven’t read enough to rate it, but I was turned off in chapter 2 by how flippant he was about Catholics. I’m not Catholic, but my husband is, and the author’s attitude made me sad.

Gulley depicts his spiritual journey from small-town Indiana to small-town Indiana. He's changed, he's not the boy his parents raised. He's not going to win any contests for the most politically correct language but his voice is authentic, warts and all.

At his best, he shows the power of critical thinking combined with introspection and how a close reading of the Bible changed the narrative of his youth. His God has transformed from wrathful and guilt-inducing to a God of love and compassion.

Recommended for travelers on faith's journey. ( )

Gulley is a good writer for "theology lite" when it comes to Christianity. I should state here, for those who don't know, that Gulley is a Quaker Pastor in Indiana. As a "progressive" Quaker, I don't find much to agree with his arguments, yet here I am reading him once again. He seems to be onto something, though, with his observation that too many of us don't take the time to argue with our own thoughts about God, about religion, about our obligations to the world at large.

I read the 10 minute chapters at night before retiring, sort of as a thoughtful way of dozing off...a daily practice I am more or less successful in keeping. Each chapter ends with a "Why this matters," conclusion. Actually, this was the most valuable part of the book, since I don't take much pleasure in dissecting why other people's religion "just ain't right."

Gulley has grown more accessible to me since he and James Mulholland wrote [If Grace is True], which I disliked so much, on several levels! However, this is not a review of that book!

Gulley is a good speaker, if your group is looking for one. ( )