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Book Description

Interfaith marriages fail more often than same-faith partnerships. So what are the chances of survival for the ultimate mixed marriage--one between religious and nonreligious partners? Nearly 20 percent of Americans now self-identify as nonreligious, including millions who are married to religious believers. Despite the differences, many of these marriages succeed beautifully. In this landmark book, popular author and secular humanist Dale McGowan explores some of the stories of these unions, whose very endurance flies in the face of conventional wisdom, including his own marriage to a believing Christian--a loving partnership that remains strong after three kids and 22 years. Drawing on sociology, psychology, and real-life experience, he shares: ● Negotiation tips that set the stage for harmonious relationships ● Strategies for dealing with pressure from extended family ● Profiles of families who have successfully blended different world views ● Insights for helping kids make their own choices about religious identity ● Advice for handling holidays, churchgoing, baptism, circumcision, religious literacy, and more The first book of its kind, In Faith and In Doubt helps partners navigate the complexities of their situation while celebrating the extraordinary richness it affords their relationship, their children, and those around them.

Table of Contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title
  3. Copyright
  4. Contents
  5. Acknowledgments
  6. Introduction
  7. Part One: Getting Perspective
    1. 1 The Big Picture
    2. 2 Meet the Believers
    3. 3 Meet the Nonbelievers
    4. 4 What Helps, and What Doesn’t
  8. Part Two: Meet the Mix
    1. 5 The Turning Points That Make It Work—Tom and Danielle
    2. 6 Bridging Multiple Gaps—Scott and Dhanya
    3. 7 An Earthquake in the Center of a Marriage—Hope and David
    4. 8 The Difference a Child Makes—Arlene and Nate
    5. 9 Finding a Meeting Place—Evan and Cate
    6. 10 A Believer and Nonbeliever Trade Places—Anna and Gary
    7. 11 The Unequally Yoked Club—Cassidy and Bill
    8. 12 Trivial Differences, Common Values—Andrew and Lewis
  9. Part Three: Meet the Issues
    1. 13 Discovering the Difference
    2. 14 Tying the Knot Across the Gap
    3. 15 Church, Prayer, Holidays, and More
    4. 16 Who Are You?
    5. 17 Communication and Respect
    6. 18 Extended Family
    7. 19 Kids in the Mix
    8. 20 Parting Ways
    9. 21 The Positive Side of the Secular/Religious Mix
  10. Notes
  11. Index
  12. About the Author
  13. Free samples from Parenting Beyond Belief by Dale McGowan and Raising Freethinkers by Dale McGowan, Molleen Matsumura, Amanda Metskas, and Jan Devor
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