Albany Times Union |
next  |
Religious freedom
First published: Wednesday, April 25, 2007
A new book, which offers guidance for parents looking to raise their children without religion, features chapters from two local couples. Albany residents Matt and Shannon Cherry, and August Brunsman and Amanda Mestas are among the authors of "Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion" (AMACOM/ American Management Association; $17.95). The book is the first comprehensive parenting book by a major publisher on raising children without religion.
The Cherrys wrote about raising children to respect self and others, and the challenges for secular families doing it in a predominantly religious society. Parents of twin toddlers, the couple stresses the importance of pride, a classical virtue that religions have often denigrated and distorted. Matt Cherry is the executive director at the Institute for Humanist Studies. Shannon Cherry owns Be Heard Solutions, a Tech Valley-based virtual public relations firm.
Metskas and Brunsman contributed a chapter on Camp Quest, the secular summer camp. Metskas is the executive director of Camp Quest. Brunsman is the executive director of the Secular Student Alliance (SSA). Both organizations are based at the Humanist Center in Albany.
The book also includes contributions from biologist Richard Dawkins, entertainers Penn Jillette and Julia Sweeney, as well as psychologists, educators, philosophers and everyday secular parents. It is available now at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Borders and The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza.
Reprinted by permission of the Times Union. Re-use rights may not be assigned to a third party without prior written permission of the Times Union.