Hearts Wide Open - Leaving Religion, Finding Faith is a highly personal story of how psychologist Dr. Cedric Johnson, a former pastor and Seminary Professor,  joined millions of refugees from the evangelical church. 

 

At first Cedric classified his religion as a  “none” — that included atheists, agnostics and those who say they have no religion in particular. And then after and convoluted search he began to cobble together a religious faith of his own.

 

Why?

The evangelical world, awash with everything from "Don't say Gay" to "Christian Nationalism", to "Believe the Bible cover to cover or leave" was no longer a credible set of beliefs for this doubting Thomas. Furthermore, as Dr Johnson encountered a host of patients suffering from a religion that had traumatized them, he began to search for a faith that heals. 

And finally, groomed in a head-bound set of religious beliefs, the author started a search for direct experience of the Eternal Presence in a heart-bound faith. It was here that for the first time he experienced mystical experiences through dreams, silence, encounters with ancestors, and the beginnings of a meditation practice.

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It was only then that Cedric returned to a place where he first began as a follower of the radical, authority challenging, and champion of the poor and marginalized, Jesus of Nazareth.

In his memoir, Cedric Johnson offers himself as living proof that we can lose our religion without losing our faith. Through a heart-based faith, he recovered from toxic religion to a life of meaning and purpose.