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Why I Left the Church, Why I Came Back, and Why I Just Might Leave Again
Why I Left the Church, Why I Came Back, and Why I Just Might Leave Memories of Growing Up African American and Catholic, by Jean K. Douglas is quite simply a wonderful book. It is a very heartfelt, intelligent re-counting of how an incredibly insightful little girl grew up in the
'1960-90's in the Catholic Church as it "struggled to navigate the waters of racial injustice and the women's movement".
To explain, Jean K. Douglas was born in 1957 (the same year as this book reviewer) in inner-city Detroit. Being the 2nd of 5 children born to an inter-racial couple, she lived through her share of being ostracized. Her father abandoned the family, her mother had psychological problems and the times were quite transitional.
What I loved about this book was how Douglas reported on these turbulent years with her personal stories and observations-not done as a study, the way many books have tended to do their documenting on this subject, but as the insider she was and still is.
Jean Douglas' book gave me a very in-depth view of how the Catholic Church taught parochial teachings on the subjects of integration, race relations and what roles men and women were supposed to maintain.
I felt the author's pain, her conflicted feelings and her ability to put everything into a very real and understandable perspective.
The Catholic Church and religion seem to have always been and continues to be a big part of Douglas' life-even during a 10 year stretch of absence. The Church realized that Jean and her siblings came from a very poor, single-mother household. They provided the kids with scholarships to attend private schools. Jean worked after school and over the summers to pay for her books. Graduating from college in 1979, the author went on to ear her PhD in ancient history in 1992. She met her husband Alexander Douglas and married him a year later in 1987. They have one child, Wesley.
Even though the title of the book gives the impression that she might leave her faith for the final time, her religion is still a very important part of her existence-she at this time is still very active in her parish. She sings in the choir an serves as both lector at catechist.
I have to admit, when I read the title my thoughts were, "hmm, I'm the lady's age, but I'm from suburban Southern California and raised in a middle-class Jewish family-would I 'get'
what it was like?"
The Not only did I "get" what went on, I felt with every page I read my respect and admiration for her growing. I could hardly wait to get to the next chapter to read what she had to teach me next.
Why I Left the Church...by Jean K. Douglas should become a must-read for seminary students, those who want to become teachers and psychology students. And if I had my way, it deserves to become a best seller.
'1960-90's in the Catholic Church as it "struggled to navigate the waters of racial injustice and the women's movement".
To explain, Jean K. Douglas was born in 1957 (the same year as this book reviewer) in inner-city Detroit. Being the 2nd of 5 children born to an inter-racial couple, she lived through her share of being ostracized. Her father abandoned the family, her mother had psychological problems and the times were quite transitional.
What I loved about this book was how Douglas reported on these turbulent years with her personal stories and observations-not done as a study, the way many books have tended to do their documenting on this subject, but as the insider she was and still is.
Jean Douglas' book gave me a very in-depth view of how the Catholic Church taught parochial teachings on the subjects of integration, race relations and what roles men and women were supposed to maintain.
I felt the author's pain, her conflicted feelings and her ability to put everything into a very real and understandable perspective.
The Catholic Church and religion seem to have always been and continues to be a big part of Douglas' life-even during a 10 year stretch of absence. The Church realized that Jean and her siblings came from a very poor, single-mother household. They provided the kids with scholarships to attend private schools. Jean worked after school and over the summers to pay for her books. Graduating from college in 1979, the author went on to ear her PhD in ancient history in 1992. She met her husband Alexander Douglas and married him a year later in 1987. They have one child, Wesley.
Even though the title of the book gives the impression that she might leave her faith for the final time, her religion is still a very important part of her existence-she at this time is still very active in her parish. She sings in the choir an serves as both lector at catechist.
I have to admit, when I read the title my thoughts were, "hmm, I'm the lady's age, but I'm from suburban Southern California and raised in a middle-class Jewish family-would I 'get'
what it was like?"
The Not only did I "get" what went on, I felt with every page I read my respect and admiration for her growing. I could hardly wait to get to the next chapter to read what she had to teach me next.
Why I Left the Church...by Jean K. Douglas should become a must-read for seminary students, those who want to become teachers and psychology students. And if I had my way, it deserves to become a best seller.
166 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 29, 2013
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