Wicked and Evil Isn't That Bad: A Fundamentalist and a New Ager Wrestle for the Soul of the 21st Century

Reads like a mystery novel. A courageous attempt to cross lines and see into depths that are rarely explored. This searingly candid dialogue will sharpen minds as it softens hearts across the spectrum of beliefs.
Laurie Bolster, Asst. Editor
Journal of Transpersonal Psychology

From the Inside Cover

It was the passionate music that first lured “New Agers” Teri and Andy Murphy to a black, fundamentalist church near their home in Virginia. They were feeling stale after 15 years in every personal growth, self-improvement, alternative spirituality movement that the postmodern era has to offer. They kept their beliefs to themselves at this new church where they were greeted with open arms by its dynamic pastor, Bishop Phil Thomas. Teri assumed that their stay among those with such a radically different outlook would be short. And indeed, the jig was up on the gut-wrenching Sunday when the pastor outted a young gay man.

But rather than just walk away, Teri made an appointment to tell Bishop Thomas why she was leaving. And it was in that meeting a small miracle occurred that turned her belief system inside out. Instead of reacting with defensiveness or righteousness, Bishop Thomas probed about Teri’s concerns… and then apologized for having gone too far.

That extraordinary opening led to a year of dialogues that caused Teri to rethink every assumption of her generation—and caused Bishop Thomas to stretch his definition of salvation. Together they discovered a ray of hope for a world drawn to showdowns between those who take their holy books literally and those who do not.

The truce—and then friendship—they evolved can light a way for us all.

See early reviews.