Faith, Interrupted

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They ultimately stayed together. After his father died, Lax says he lost his connection to the Episcopal Church. He was less interested in maintaining the trappings of formal religion, even in his own church. That is to love one another. The miracles are all window dressing. Yvonne Zipp regularly reviews books for the Monitor.

Already a Monitor Daily subscriber? This website uses cookies to improve functionality and performance. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Monitor Daily Current Issue. A Christian Science Perspective. A writer dedicates a memoir to his lost religious faith — and the father who inspired it. What are you reading? By Yvonne Zipp yvonnezipp. Could you pass a US citizenship test? Next up Here are more stories that look at the news with empathy, insight, and hope.

Readers Respond Readers Write: You've read 5 of 5 free stories. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Faith, Interrupted , please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Nov 10, Connie rated it liked it.

I enjoyed this book but have some beefs with it.

First of all, the title and subtitle make the book sound wholly like a memoir about faith and doubt, yet Lax takes almost pages to begin discussing his doubts! I kept wondering when he was going to start talking about them.

Also, he went on and ON about things completely unrelated, like the Vietnam War and what his friend di I enjoyed this book but have some beefs with it. Also, he went on and ON about things completely unrelated, like the Vietnam War and what his friend did in and after it. I realize Lax's conscientious objector journey is an important part of his faith narrative, but I don't see why he needed to include as much detail as he did.

I think he could and maybe should have written at least 1 other book and left this one to be about his faith and doubts Oct 11, Judith rated it really liked it. This was such an interesting book. It is so rare to read the story of someone who had a happy childhood and young adulthood.

Talking About Losing Your Faith: Faith Interrupted by Eric Lax

During the Vietnam war he joined the Peace Corps to avoid the draft and when he returned,after 2 years, he still faced the draft. He spent a long time dedicating himself to the project of convincing his draft board that he was This was such an interesting book. He spent a long time dedicating himself to the project of convincing his draft board that he was a conscientious objector and was ultimately successful. This part of the book was so moving because the author genuinely opposed killing as well as this particular war but he constantly reviewed and analyzed his feelings to try to make certain that he was not cowardly or lazy in avoiding armed service.

I found this so fascinating because my feeling at the time was that the war was so insane that no one should have to justify their avoidance of it.

'Faith, Interrupted: A Spiritual Journey' by Eric Lax - latimes

And he doesn't try to look at it in retrospect and claim that he was right about the war politically, rather he stays on track focusing solely on the CO question. Interestingly, his best friend from college was drafted and did go to Vietnam and became a very successful military leader and eventually an Episcopalian bishop.

They remained friends throughout their lives and the author uses his life story to contrast with his best friend's life story. The author loses his spiritual belief gradually, not as a result of some sudden crisis, but rather as a matter of course in growing older. He wishes he could regain it, but it just doesn't happen for him.

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I can relate totally, and I wonder at all the people who must reach the same place, coming from so many different foundations of faith. Eric Lax's book offers a rich, first-person trip through recent American history -- the post-war expansion of California, Dr. The story is shaped by Lax's life as a devout Episcopalian clergy kid. I was glad to learn about the author's father, a priest, and mother. Much of the book focuses on Lax's long relationship with his best friend, Skip.

Review: Faith, Interrupted: A Spiritual Journey, by Eric Lax

Skip's war service and faith life are a strong contrast to the author's. Lax's rich description of Eric Lax's book offers a rich, first-person trip through recent American history -- the post-war expansion of California, Dr.

Lax's rich description of Skip's Vietnam service is worthy of an entire book. The final chapters of the book covering more recent time lack the nuance and depth of the middle chapters. I wish Lax could speak about his current faith struggles with more clarity, using more specific examples.

I am not sure I know why or how his faith was interrupted.

The Globe and Mail

Maybe sharing more about his family would help? Though we pick up bits along the way about past girlfriends, we don't know how he met his socially-prominent wife and his children are barely mentioned -- more space is given to describing a rain storm during his Peace Corp experience.

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Oct 26, E. McCarthy rated it it was amazing. Eric Lax's memoir of religious upbringing in s California takes a complex turn in the advent of the Vietnam War. While he follows the path of conscientious objector, his close friend, Skip, ships overseas. Lax chronicles both of their stories, as he travels to Micronesia with the Peace Corps, and Skip rises in the ranks as an expert mine tracker.

Lax's riveting account of Skip's life in Vietnam nicely shows off his talent for biography. Ultimately, Skip lands in the clergy, while Lax struggl Eric Lax's memoir of religious upbringing in s California takes a complex turn in the advent of the Vietnam War. Ultimately, Skip lands in the clergy, while Lax struggles through the death of his parents, the primary connection to the faith that determined his path out of young adulthood.

As fully formed adults, Lax and Skip reconnect and discuss their faith, with Skip holding fast to his beliefs and Lax still questioning the church. Aug 20, Martha rated it liked it Shelves: Eric tells of the faith he learned from his father, and embraced - and then a different understanding of Christianity that he saw in his best friend - and how he ended up not being able to emotionally connect to either of their faiths as he reaches middle age and beyond.

Aug 15, David Trout rated it it was amazing.

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