“I believe because of the epiphanies, small and
large, that have intersected my path—small, discrete moments of grace when I
have sensed a kind of superintending presence outside of myself. I believe
because these moments—a kind word, an insight, an anthem on Easter morning, a
chill in the spine—are too precious to discard, and I choose not to trivialize
them by reducing them to rational explanation. I believe because, for me, the
alternative to belief is far too daunting. I believe because, at the turn of
the twentieth century, belief itself is an act of defiance in a society still
enthralled by the blandishments of Enlightenment rationalism.”— Randall
Balmer, “The Generation of Faith,” in Searching for Your Soul: Writers of Many Faiths Share Their Personal Stories of Spiritual Discovery, edited by Katherine
Kurs (1999)
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