Greater Good magazine has named the book “Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion” by Dr. Daryl Van Tongeren of the Hope College psychology faculty one of its Favorite Books of 2024.
“Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion” is written for a general audience and meant to be a resource for those who are wrestling with faith’s role in their lives and for those who care about them and want to understand. Published in July by the American Psychological Association, it draws from psychological theories and research to examine the emotional and social processes involved with religious change and provides science-based guidance for building a new life.
Greater Good’s editors select the Favorite Books as “the most thought-provoking, practical and inspirational science books of the year.” As the publication explained in its announcement of this year’s selections, “Though news of the world can seem pretty grim at times, we at Greater Good try to see beyond the headlines. We know from research that it’s important not to give in to pervasive anger or despair. Even in the worst circumstances, there are always individuals and organizations doing good work and creating a more just, compassionate and healthy world. We just need to elevate their voices and learn from their scientific insights and practical wisdom. This year’s favorite books give us a chance to do just that.”
In its overview of “Done,” the publication said, “Whether you are leaving religion entirely, trying to forge a new spiritual identity, or seeking to understand someone else’s choice to leave, the book shows how it’s possible to still have a meaningful life post-religion. And it provides insight for all of us, regardless of religious affiliation.”
“Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion” grew out of both Van Tongeren’s most recent scholarship and work that he has pursued for the entirety of his career. He has been studying people who have been leaving religion for the past six years, and has been conducting research on the social motivation for meaning in life, religion and virtues such as forgiveness and humility for nearly two decades.
“We’re living through a considerable change in the religious and cultural landscape,” said Van Tongeren, who is a professor of psychology and director of the college’s Frost Center for Social Science Research. “People are leaving churches, turning away from organized religion, and seeking alternative ways to engage with the transcendent. Some have estimated that nearly one in four Americans have switched religion, and my own cross-cultural work suggests that the number of people leaving religion may be one in five individuals.”
“This shift has not come without costs,” he said. “While turning away from religion can bring about freedom, awe and wonder, it can also engender a profound loss of meaning, purpose, community and identity. It can threaten our relationships with friends and family. And it can pose a significant challenge to the mental health of even the most resilient among us.”
Van Tongeren’s work has been supported by numerous external grants, including currently a three-year, $509,623 award from the John Templeton Foundation to lead a study seeking to understand the spirituality of those who have left the church, which he is conducting with colleagues at Duke University and Case Western. He is also a co-principal investigator on another current project funded by the John Templeton Foundation, “Applied Research on Intellectual Humility: A Request for Proposals,” which received a $6 million grant from the foundation in 2022.
His other publications include more than 200 scholarly articles and chapters, as well as the books “Humble: Free yourself from the traps of a narcissistic world” (2022) and “The Courage to Suffer: A New Clinical Framework for Life’s Greatest Crises” (2020), the latter of which he co-authored with his wife, Sara, who is a licensed social worker.
Van Tongeren has received multiple national and international honors for his scholarship, including, in 2021: the Early Career Contributions Award from the International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology (ISSEP); being named a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science; a “10 Under 10” alumni award for 2021 from Virginia Commonwealth University, from which he holds his doctorate; and the Margaret Gorman Early Career Award of the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, a division of the American Psychological Association. In addition, in 2020 he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Social Psychology, and in 2019 he was elected a Fellow by both the Midwestern Psychological Association and the International Society for Science and Religion. The APS had previously named him a Rising Star in 2016.
“Done: How to Flourish After Leaving Religion” retails for $21.99 and is available through Amazon as well as area booksellers and the American Psychological Association.
Greater Good magazine is published by the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at the University of California, Berkeley. The publication turns scientific research into stories, tips and tools for a happier life and a more compassionate society.