Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light (2nd Ed.)

Most Christians strive to know the will of God and follow the example of Jesus as seen through the eyes of the Gospel writers. But a belief that the Bible is literally true can put many in the odd position of defending falsehood, bigotry, or even violence. In Trusting Doubt, psychologist and former evangelical Valerie Tarico examines common but harmful beliefs that often flow from biblical literalism. In their place, she offers alternatives that are compatible with Christianity’s multi-millennial quest for love and truth, while also honoring what we know about ourselves and our world.

This award-winning second edition of Trusting Doubt is for those who suspect that some Christian beliefs are manmade and flawed. It is for those who know that “All Truth is God’s Truth,” and for those who are ready to let reason and conscience guide their spiritual journey. If you find some traditional beliefs morally troubling, if you have doubts about teachings you formerly embraced, if you question authorities who claim to have all the answers, or if you seek a fresh approach to the timeless wisdom in the Bible, then Trusting Doubt is for you!

Valerie Tarico, Ph.D., is a former fundamentalist Christian and graduate of Wheaton College, a bastion of Evangelical education. She holds a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Iowa and completed postdoctoral studies at the University of Washington. Trusting that her own doubts were morally meaningful, Dr. Tarico committed to follow her spiritual questions wherever they might lead. Ultimately they led her away from Evangelicalism. She now speaks to churches and secular groups on topics such as moral development, the psychology of belief, and wisdom convergence.

In 2008, in response to Seeds of Compassion, Dr. Tarico founded www.WisdomCommons.org, an interactive website that allows users to find and discuss information on universal ethics – values that are shared across secular and religious wisdom traditions. She writes regularly for The Huffington Post and ExChristian.net where she sustains a lucid critique of fundamentalist religion in light of recent scholarship in social sciences. Her articles can be found at www.ValerieTarico.com and followed at Twitter (ValerieTarico).