"What stands out the most . . . is [Sarah's] courage to put everything at risk and ask the hard questions." David Hayward, NakedPastor Many of us are taught to believe that our only hope is in a supernatural, all-powerful, Christian God. Yet we wonder, is God really real? If we pursue our questions, what might we find? While the American church seems to be shutting out those who have questions, Sarah Henn Hayward shows us how to discover who we are beyond religion and find a new path forward. After three decades of embarking on mission trips, leading Bible studies, and participating in church leadership teams, Hayward's spiritual identity was overturned when lived experience conflicted directly with her handed-down religion. From traveling the world and meeting people of different faiths and backgrounds, making friends with amazing people who happened to be queer, to reading widely from books about science, psychology, and social justice, the veil created by concepts like hell, evolution, and Christian exclusivity was lifted in favor of an exploration of a stronger sense of self and a more expansive worldview. The journey of faith deconstruction is not without grief, but with profound wisdom, Hayward holds fast to a forthright, inspirational honesty that shines on every page. Giving Up God offers a narrative that gives us permission to let go of the past and our fear about the future, and instead train our attention on love and wonder in our present life and resurrect a peace deeper than we ever thought possible.
"Hayward expresses both the fear and loss, as well as the wonder and liberation, of life after religion." -Cait West, author of Rift Embark on a transformative journey through this compelling narrative about giving up a belief in God and finding a new, wilder, and more authentic life. Sarah Henn Hayward spent over thirty years as a devoted believer, passionately immersed in her born-again faith. But her search for truth also led her to science, psychology, and social justice. She asked really hard questions and uncovered the hypocrisy around concepts like hell, evolution, and Christian exclusivity. When Hayward realized that she could not continue to believe in God, she ventured out on a journey to find herself again, to let go of fear about the future, to train attention on love and wonder in the present, and to find a life that is very much thriving without belief. Giving Up God is a satisfying read for all the seekers, the curious, and the b