Beyond Parochial Faith

Beyond Parochial Faith: A Catholic Confesses weaves the author's personal story of woundedness and healing with her spiritual evolution. While working through and growing from personal relationships, Clancy wrestles with large questions of life's meaning. Her 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 the arguments of atheists. Clancy denounces what she calls sexist God-talk and espouses 'secular spirituality,' while also honoring Jesus and religious myths for being avenues to transcendence. Beyond Parochial Faith shows a deeply spiritual life independent of religion's dictates. 'Nones,' the Goddess, sexual assault, the #MeToo movement, and a gay priest play roles in this story. The author's questioning epitomizes Western spiritual evolution in the twenty-first century.