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Rating: 
Summary: This is an important book, but...
Review: Books by George Barna, George Gallup Jr., et al., have reported on the millions of American Christian adults who have walked away from the Christian faith. But very few books in recent years have been addressed directly to these individuals who have experientially lost their faith. The most recent, Walking Away from Faith by Ruth Tucker (InterVarsity, 2002), offers an insightful analysis of their experiences, enriched with many anecdotal stories (including the author's own struggles). But in the end Tucker doesn't offer readers hope. This is an important book, but I can't recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Kudos (mostly)
Review: I bought this book because I am a former minister who is struggling mightily with issues of faith and doubt. I found it to be refreshing and--in some ways--astounding. Too often, anyone who harbors intellectual doubts or leaves the faith is said to be putting up a "smoke screen" to cover some kind of moral failure or rebelliousness. Tucker, however, is exceedingly sympathetic to the doubter and refuses such easy dismissals. Her idea of "doubting your doubts" as well as your faith was thought-provoking. However, I would add that I was dismayed by her repeated assertions that she could never leave the faith herself. How could anyone write this book and make such a claim? If there is no possible evidence that would cause one to change their mind, then an honest search seems to be hamstrung at the get-go.
Rating:
Summary: Kudos (mostly)
Review: I bought this book because I am a former minister who is struggling mightily with issues of faith and doubt. I found it to be refreshing and--in some ways--astounding. Too often, anyone who harbors intellectual doubts or leaves the faith is said to be putting up a "smoke screen" to cover some kind of moral failure or rebelliousness. Tucker, however, is exceedingly sympathetic to the doubter and refuses such easy dismissals. Her idea of "doubting your doubts" as well as your faith was thought-provoking. However, I would add that I was dismayed by her repeated assertions that she could never leave the faith herself. How could anyone write this book and make such a claim? If there is no possible evidence that would cause one to change their mind, then an honest search seems to be hamstrung at the get-go.
Rating: 
Summary: Bridged The Gap With My Family
Review: I came across this book at just the right time in my life. For years, I have anguished over my faith (or lack thereof), which put incredible stress on my relationship with my family. They could not conceive how it was possible for me to doubt my faith since I grew up in a committed, Bible-believing family. The relationship grew so hostile and strained that I thought we were finished. Ruth Tucker's book helped bridge the gap. It expressed my struggles with faith in just the right tone and manner. After not speaking to my family for several months, I sent my mother a copy of the book. She refused to read it at first (I think because the title scared her), but eventually she picked it up. Ruth Tucker explained the struggle of faith in a way that I couldn't. It softened my mother's heart and made it possible for us to communicate again. The relationship is still very shaky, but we're holding on. It's still not a great situation, but it's more than we had before and I owe it all to Ruth Tucker.
I highly recommend this book to Christian families trying to understand the sincere struggles of their black sheep family members.
Rating:
Summary: Very good overall
Review: Ruth A. Tucker's WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH doesn't pull any punches. Whether we in the church like to admit it or not people do fall away from their faith, and not necessarily due to ignorant reasons. WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH presents their side of the story. It is a personal and sometimes painful read, full of emotion and transparent revelations. Drawing strongly on individual stories, this is a case study on the why's and the how's of the loss of faith. It is not an apologetic work, so when the "why's" are explored a lengthy rebuttal is not given. Rather, WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH focuses on the human side of the equation. It challenges a lot of pre-conceived notions regarding doubt and even presents a surprising picture of life on the other side of the decision to walk away - something that might not want to be heard but in an honest work such as this it is welcome and enlightening. Overall, Tucker does a fine job of exploring the issue from all sides. The reason this book is so important is that is shines a bright light on an aspect of the Christian life that is too often ignored. Doubt. The reality is that most Christians at one time or another experience doubt of some sort. Usually it will not lead to a loss of faith but even in those instances it can be a very lonely experience. WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH challenges us to be a church that is more honest about these feelings. Tucker repeatedly wonders aloud if the people she interviewed would have chosen differently if the church would've better responded to their doubts and fears. This book will not solve the problems related to loss of faith, but it does graphically demonstrate the need for the church to re-examine its methods when it comes to handling these situations. It should also be a wake up call to Christians on an individual basis, to be more sensitive to instances of doubt in the lives of each other and, more importantly, to be Jesus to the person experiencing those doubts - not to condemn, shun, or spout pat answers. More than likely, at some point in life, we're going to be on the opposite end of that situation. Hopefully when that happens someone will be there for us to walk us through those shadows, and to help us pray, "Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief." FOUR 1/2 STARS.
Rating:
Summary: Doubt your doubts, but in the meantime read this!
Review: Ruth Tucker was teaching an adult Sunday School class on this topic of doubt shortly after writing this book. She was well received, but after the class one older man came to her and asked, "I really appreciated all that you taught. But one thing you never addressed: how did you finally overcome all your doubts?" Tuckers was floored. He missed her whole point: she has never completely overcome all her doubts. Nor will she ever this side of glory. She teaches theology at a solidly orthodox seminary. She is involved ijn proclaiming and defending the faith. But she is not free of all doubt.
Calvin said that just as sin is always mixed in with holines sin the Christain life, so is doubt always mixed in with faith. We are not fully rid of it until we are glorified.
Liberal churches tend to wrongly make a virtue of doubting -- you are not being honest and sophisticated unless you remain skeptically detached to every belief. But conservative churches (like Tucker's audience) can be guilty of teh other extreme: 'since doubting is bad, then doubters are not welcome here.' So when you have doubts (as all believers do) you can not voice them and seek others to help you answer them. We need to be honest about our doubts to the appropriate people (peers and those with headship over us). We know that doubts are generally more to do with heart problems than head problems.
Tucker does not say doubt is good. But she does show it is inevitable and we shouldn't panic and think we are losing faith when it bubbles up (any more than we should when we fall into sin).
Very nice packaging by the publisher also.
The antidote to doubt is faith in Christ, through his Word, administered in community (Church). Christ tunrs our skepticism back onto our skepticism -- doubt your doubts! Tucker's book is good medicine.
Rating:
Summary: Very good overall
Review: The author gives a very good overview from different vantage points about the doubts that affect Christians. In the end I'm not sure how she can hold on to her faith however. It seems she does, as do many Christians, compartamentalize her life into her faith and religions on one hand and everything else on the other hand. The latter a process of thought and reason, the former a process of hope and wishful thinking. I think I would have to develope a multiple personality disorder to do those kinds of mental gymnastics.
Rating:
Summary: Useful Contemplation of Apostasy
Review: This book grew on me, likely at the first from one or two stars to four. The reason: as one gets to know the author and her intent with the writing, one senses a person truly one would enjoy sitting and conversing with. And this is exactly what Tucker has done with those who have walked away from the faith. More with stories and not with Scripture, but meaningful and useful nonetheless. She is honest and skilled in holding the reader's attention. Whether one agrees with all of her assesment or not, there is easily much to be gained from reading this familiarization with those who struggle to believe. That is salient point of this work: they truly do struggle to believe. Sometimes with differing results, but struggle they do. Tucker also provides helps on what the church can do to assist.
Rating:
Summary: Useful Contemplation of Apostasy
Review: This book grew on me, likely at the first from one or two stars to four. The reason: as one gets to know the author and her intent with the writing, one senses a person truly one would enjoy sitting and conversing with. And this is exactly what Tucker has done with those who have walked away from the faith. More with stories and not with Scripture, but meaningful and useful nonetheless. She is honest and skilled in holding the reader's attention. Whether one agrees with all of her assesment or not, there is easily much to be gained from reading this familiarization with those who struggle to believe. That is salient point of this work: they truly do struggle to believe. Sometimes with differing results, but struggle they do. Tucker also provides helps on what the church can do to assist.
Rating:
Summary: Disturbing and Uncertain; Just Like Doubt
Review: This book is disturbing, because it doesn't take the typical "doubt can be good for you, and if you truly believe you'll come back to the faith" route often taken by works on this subject. By the time you finish, you are humbled, as you realize that despite how strong you feel now, you don't know what the future will bring, or what it could do to you. Tucker takes us through three levels of the subject. The first third of the book compares stories of faith and doubt, focusing on the mystery of faith and the anxiety of facing God's silence and hiddeness. The second third surveys the standard problems people encounter in their trials of belief and how they damage faith. I can see some being disappointed with this section, as it does not challenge the issues to the extent they could be, but then Tucker is clear that she's not writing an apologetic work. The final third attempts to clarify common myths Christians have about the quality of life experienced by those who walk away, and attempts to understand the motives of those who've taken that route. It also gives some examples of those who have returned to the faith, and includes a chapter entitled "Answering Doubt and Unbelief," which is actually about the care needed in dealing with those experiencing doubt, rather than answers to what raises those doubts. Due to Tucker's personal encounters with her own doubt and unbelief, she is very sensitive to the mental state and emotions of those going through hard times. Unfortunately, it is this same sesitiveness that will likely leave some readers feeling the work ends on an uncertain tone, caught between the vagueness of faith and doubt, but I think that, for pastoral reasons, that is exactly what she wants the reader to appreciate.
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