A View from the Back Pew: God, Religion & Our Personal Quest for Truth

by Tim O'Donnell

Since the time Tim O'Donnell was a nuisance to the nuns, he has been asking questions about religion. He went on to become a successful owner of daily newspapers and consulting firms, but the questions remained. So at age forty, he sold his businesses, built a log home in the woods, and dove headfirst into the taboo questions of Christianity-not as a theologian but as an investigative reporter. The answers surprised him.

A View from the Back Pew explores the issues we all encounter on our spiritual

* Are spirituality and religion the same thing?

* Is guilt a necessary part of the religious experience?

* Do the rules of religion actually bring me closer to God?

* Will open-minded inquiry help or hinder my spiritual progress?

* Is God a concept? A reality? A Myth?

* Did God create man? Did man invent God?

* If mankind's capacity to understand the world has advanced exponentially in the last two thousand years, shouldn't our spiritual understanding be evolving too?

* And, perhaps most importantly, am I looking for God in the right places?

Candid, humorous, and at times controversial, O'Donnell takes us on a powerful search for balance-between faith and personal experience, between the roots of Christianity and later layers of doctrine, and between systems of belief and a direct connection to the spiritual presence we call God. In this bold quest for truth, you'll delve into everything from the "mystery” of the Trinity and the Virgin Birth to celibacy in the priesthood to Jesus' key teachings about "the kingdom” and the real purpose of prayer. "My hope,” writes O'Donnell, "is that if you are drawn to the Divine but labor over dogma, doctrine, and ritual, you will find support and a fresh perspective in my view from the back pew.”

Genres: Religion, Spirituality

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I´m sure that a lot of the enjoyment I got from this comes from knowing the author, but several things made it stand out from other ¨spiritual autobiographies¨ for me. He is calm, for one, always willing to try something new without fear of failure, which is a true sign of faith. He is open as well, convinced by his own reasoning but ready to listen to other views. What most impressed me is that he and I move from completely opposed understandings of ¨original sin¨ to nearly identical conclusions. The book really is about questions rather than answers, and isn´t that what reading should do for us?

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A View From The Back Pew was a very thought provoking book and one that justified some of my own feelings about the church & religion in making me feel not so alone for questioning. Reading O’Donnel’s own personal experiences growing up was just as interesting and I felt as if he was sitting just across from me having a discussion. While I may not have agreed with everything, there were some issues that made sense. This is probably one of those books I’d go back through and re-read again at a later date just to pick up anything I might have missed.

[Eliza Fayle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in awhile a book comes along that really makes me think. Like really think. I love when that happens. A View From The Back Pew, by Tim O’Donnell, is such a book.

A View From The Back Pew is not a book for Christians wanting to explore their faith. Rather, it is a book for all us who want to explore our spirituality and our personal relationship with a Divine Source. Intelligently and delightfully guided by a man who has been there, done that, and discovered his own Truth.

To read the full review visit http://silverandgrace.com/book-review...

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think there's a place for religious memoirs that are not written by priests or PhDs, yet I found myself agreeing with the priest who questioned the author about his qualifications. O'Donnell's conclusions lack nuance and unique insight - a letdown after all his talk of "The Deal." The book had some redeeming qualities, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with more than a passing interest in theology or the history of religion.

[Carol Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well-written, I jsut can't agree with his conclusions.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you grew up a roman catholic like me this book will open your eyes to the Catholic church and it's beliefs.