Grace Without God is a pilgrimage. Katherine Ozment is one of millions who have left traditional religion only to find that not only is something is missing in their lives, but that they long to give their children the meaning, sense of belonging, and spiritual depth of religion. In Grace Without God, we are invited to travel with her as she searches religion, philosophy, and social science for tools to construct meaning in our time.
★ 05/09/2016
Nonplussed by her young son’s question “What are we?” when they saw a Greek Orthodox procession, secular writer Ozment answered, “We’re nothing.” She writes, “I decided then and there that I would seek a better answer for my son, for myself, and for my family. I knew that we were something, but what?” In this wide-ranging book, Ozment, a journalist and former senior editor at National Geographic, skillfully weaves together interviews with cutting-edge academic experts, her personal story, helpful statistics, and her experiences attending gatherings across the U.S. where she talked with many others on the same quest. Detailing the sense of loss she and others have felt without the benefits of traditional religion—“identity and belonging, rituals, shared stories, moral authority, and belief in God and the afterlife”—Ozment then delves into the many ways secular Americans are trying to build community and shared meaning, with a keen eye for the paradoxes and hazards of those efforts. Her focus throughout is finding ways to raise honest, kind, and compassionate children outside of a religious framework. The author includes extensive resource information for others on a similar search, including lists of books for children by age group. This well-crafted, accessible exploration of a pressing topic, full of hard questions and astute observations, can serve as a springboard for discussion by parents—and others—who wonder whether people “need God to be good.” (July)
Combining the talent of a gifted story-teller, the erudition of a scholar, and the soft touch of a mother, Ozment takes her readers on an unforgettable examination of life’s deepest questions. Profound, moving, and uplifting, Grace without God is a gem and is destined to become a classic.” — Julien Musolino, Associate Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science, Rutgers University, and author of The Soul Fallacy: What Science Shows We Gain from Letting Go of Our Soul Beliefs
“What an important book. I inhaled every word. Every person struggling to live a meaningful life will find wisdom and sustenance in Grace Without God.” — Mary Johnson, author of An Unquenchable Thirst
“We are in new and uncharted territory. The family and kinship ties that once insured religious adherence are unwinding. What has been lost? Where might this new freedom take us? In her deeply personal quest to answer these questions, Ozment has created an important book for our time.” — Ethan Watters, author of Crazy Like Us
“This well-crafted, accessible exploration of a pressing topic, full of hard questions and astute observations, can serve as a springboard for discussion by parents—and others—who wonder whether people ‘need God to be good.’” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“In this beautifully written, exhaustively researched, and deeply personal book, Katherine Ozment explores the challenges facing parents who want to raise moral, community-minded children in the absence of formal religion. Grace without God fundamentally changed the way I will raise my children.” — Steve Levitt, bestselling author of Freakonomics
“An engagingly personal exploration of parenting without religion that’s clear and honest, thoughtful and deeply felt. This is a brilliant addition to the growing chorus of voices in nonreligious parenting. Grace Without God is just that good.” — Dale McGowan, author of Parenting Beyond Belief and Raising Freethinkers
Ozment is not out to bash religion or defend atheism. Quite the contrary: with insight and sensitivity, drawing from her own experiences, Ozment presents a compelling, informative, and inspirational account. Highly recommended for those who no longer believe or congregate, but yearn to live a meaningful life all the same.” — Phil Zuckerman, author of Living the Secular Life
“It’s not a spoiler to say that Ozment goes looking for grace only to discover she’s had it all along. From the first page, you’ll be struck by Ozment’s gracious curiosity, intelligence, optimism, and all-around secular loveliness. I felt proud to belong to her tribe—human and godless both.” — Catherine Newman, author of Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness
“So many of us don’t call ourselves religious, and yet miss much of what religion offered our parents and grandparents—a sense of community, morality, and ritual. Whether you are atheist, spiritual, an occasional meditator, or a confused seeker, this beautifully-written book will help answer some of life’s big questions.” — Laura Fraser, best-selling author of An Italian Affair
“This book is perfect for those of us who have moved past religion but still crave community and sense of moral guidance. Ozment has interviewed dozens of seekers, academics and spiritual leaders, finding secular answers to the big questions: What’s the meaning of life? How do we deal with death? What is our purpose? A satisfying and deep read.” — Julie Scheeres, bestselling author of Jesus Land
“Grace Without God is a pilgrimage. Katherine Ozment is one of millions who have left traditional religion only to find that not only is something is missing in their lives, but that they long to give their children the meaning, sense of belonging, and spiritual depth of religion. In Grace Without God, we are invited to travel with her as she searches religion, philosophy, and social science for tools to construct meaning in our time.” — Peter Morales, President, Unitarian Universalist Association
“Ozment offers her own version of do-it-yourself religion, encouraging everyone to wonder, to seek knowledge, and to connect to a larger purpose. Grace Without God is thoughtful and insightful.” — June Sawyers, Booklist
“An informative and relatable discussion on the changing landscape of religion, society, and identity.” — Library Journal
“An astute journalist, Ozment deftly explores whether meaningful ritual can offer an adequate substitute for organized religion. Her candor, open-mindedness, and reflection provide solace to the reader struggling with similar issues in their own lives, respectfully honoring the ghost of religion rather than writing it off.” — The Humanist
It’s not a spoiler to say that Ozment goes looking for grace only to discover she’s had it all along. From the first page, you’ll be struck by Ozment’s gracious curiosity, intelligence, optimism, and all-around secular loveliness. I felt proud to belong to her tribe—human and godless both.
In this beautifully written, exhaustively researched, and deeply personal book, Katherine Ozment explores the challenges facing parents who want to raise moral, community-minded children in the absence of formal religion. Grace without God fundamentally changed the way I will raise my children.
This book is perfect for those of us who have moved past religion but still crave community and sense of moral guidance. Ozment has interviewed dozens of seekers, academics and spiritual leaders, finding secular answers to the big questions: What’s the meaning of life? How do we deal with death? What is our purpose? A satisfying and deep read.
An engagingly personal exploration of parenting without religion that’s clear and honest, thoughtful and deeply felt. This is a brilliant addition to the growing chorus of voices in nonreligious parenting. Grace Without God is just that good.
What an important book. I inhaled every word. Every person struggling to live a meaningful life will find wisdom and sustenance in Grace Without God.
Ozment is not out to bash religion or defend atheism. Quite the contrary: with insight and sensitivity, drawing from her own experiences, Ozment presents a compelling, informative, and inspirational account. Highly recommended for those who no longer believe or congregate, but yearn to live a meaningful life all the same.
Combining the talent of a gifted story-teller, the erudition of a scholar, and the soft touch of a mother, Ozment takes her readers on an unforgettable examination of life’s deepest questions. Profound, moving, and uplifting, Grace without God is a gem and is destined to become a classic.
So many of us don’t call ourselves religious, and yet miss much of what religion offered our parents and grandparents—a sense of community, morality, and ritual. Whether you are atheist, spiritual, an occasional meditator, or a confused seeker, this beautifully-written book will help answer some of life’s big questions.
Ozment offers her own version of do-it-yourself religion, encouraging everyone to wonder, to seek knowledge, and to connect to a larger purpose. Grace Without God is thoughtful and insightful.
An astute journalist, Ozment deftly explores whether meaningful ritual can offer an adequate substitute for organized religion. Her candor, open-mindedness, and reflection provide solace to the reader struggling with similar issues in their own lives, respectfully honoring the ghost of religion rather than writing it off.
An astute journalist, Ozment deftly explores whether meaningful ritual can offer an adequate substitute for organized religion. Her candor, open-mindedness, and reflection provide solace to the reader struggling with similar issues in their own lives, respectfully honoring the ghost of religion rather than writing it off.
06/15/2016
The United States is seeing an unprecedented increase in the number of people who do not consider themselves religious, who no longer identify with the faith they grew up with, or who are in some way reimagining what religion means to them. Journalist Ozment offers a measured discussion of what this cultural shift means in the long term for individuals, communities, and culture. Infused with personal anecdotes along with interviews with scholars and religious leaders, topics include how organized religion affects individual identity and sense of belonging (e.g., when leaving religion means leaving one's heritage behind), secularization (including differences in secularized vs. religious rituals such as "coming of age" with a driver's license vs. a bar mitzvah), faith and science (e.g., how age and cognitive differences can affect belief), and more. VERDICT Ozment successfully writes an informative and relatable discussion on the changing landscape of religion, society, and identity. Recommended for readers interested in the sociology of religion.—Jennifer Harris, Southern New Hampshire Univ. Lib., Manchester
