The Rev Harold Munn is a no stranger to Salt Spring Island and our parish having been a frequent visitor on holidays and a house-sitter for many of us over many years. A large part of his latest book entitled “Faith in Doubt – How my dog made me atheist and atheism made me a priest” was written during sojourns on our island!
He will be introducing his book in 2 events on Salt Spring Island:
- Friday, October 25th, 7-8:30pm, at All Saints by-the-Sea, 110 Park Drive – where Harold, an experienced church leader will speak about the challenges facing religion in secular society and where he proposes some fascinating and unexpected opportunities that science and secularism may offer.
- Saturday, October 26th, 2pm at the Salt Spring Public Library, 129 McPhillips Ave – where Harold will introduce his book to the wider audience on Salt Spring Island. To download the poster for this event – click here.
Admission to both events is free and open to all, spiritual and secular, young and old, committed or curious or neither.
Come to talk, come to listen, come to question, come to share.
Copies of his book will be available at both events. Order copies, download the free study guide, and write directly to Harold at www.haroldmunnbooks.com.
About the book:
What happens when an atheist and a believer find themselves next door neighbours? What happens when religion finds itself in a culture of science and secularism? Could they hold hands? Could they fall in love?
Faith in Doubt claims that churches speak about faith and God only from within the world view of an ancient culture—as foreign to modern people as Latin. No wonder there is a precipitous decline in church attendance. Faith in Doubt proposes that churches start a conversation with secularism by learning to speak of faith and God from within the assumptions of modern secular culture. Faith in Doubt explains how.
Faith in Doubt follows John, a believer, and his neighbour Rosalind, an atheist professional scientist, through their budding romance as they undergo relationship conflicts paralleling their exploration of each other’s opposing views of religion. Can their relationship weather storms of break up, distrust, and deep pain at rejection? Will John and Rosalind—symbolizing faith and science—ever hold hands in a lasting, meaningful relationship?
Faith in Doubt grounds the discussion with accounts of real incidents in the author’s own life as a child and later as a priest in urban, rural, and First Nations contexts. He experienced disbelief and strains in important relationships—unexpectedly finding those challenges to be sources of new life and joy. Readers, whether believers or not, may discover similar experiences happening in their own lives.
About Harold:
Reverend Dr. Harold Munn, B.A., M.Div, D.Min, DD., has led congregations ranging from tiny churches in Canada’s far north to All Saints’ Cathedral in Edmonton, Alberta. He is an associate of the international Society for Ordained Scientists, and has received awards for his writing.
In addition to the cross-cultural experience of being a priest in secular culture, Harold has lived in, or in close proximity to, many cross-cultural contexts, teaching science in East Africa; with miners in northern B.C.; with oppressed women in Edmonton’s inner city; with First Nations villages in the Yukon, on the Naas River, and on Vancouver Island; in Victoria addressing homelessness, addictions, and mental health issues; and in prisons outside Vancouver. He has been active in movements opposing nuclear war, supporting social justice, and urging action to address climate collapse.
Rev. Munn lives on the campus of UBC, Vancouver, with his wife of fifty years. They have two adult sons and four grandchildren whom he claims can be scientifically proven to be the most delightful grandkids in the world.
Here's what readers have had to say about "Faith in Doubt":
A young teen: "It was interesting. Can I get the sequel right now? What? I have to wait a whole year?"
A retired professional: "Thoroughly appreciating it! I'm really enjoying your fresh tone and perspective."
A recent university grad: "Comparing the worlds of secularism and faith as two separate languages succinctly explains the problem of declining faith and church attendance. I can't wait to find out more of John's (a believer) and Rosalind's (an atheist scientist) budding romance and of Faith in Doubt."