FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WMOT) -- Tennessee is sometimes referred to as the “buckle” of America’s Bible Belt, but a Franklin author is convinced that his neighbors are failing to have meaningful discussions about faith.
Mark Cornelius is the author of a new book entitled Believement. The book is designed to spark conversations between believers and those who profess no faith.
Cornelius says he was inspired to write the book after one of his neighbors, a Christian who attends church weekly, confessed that she really had no idea what she believed.
“And it just absolutely shocked me. I said, ‘Why do you, you know…what are you doing going to church and not at least having some kind of a core value that you bring to the table.’ And she said, ‘I really just haven’t thought about it.’”
But Cornelius says as he explored how to create dialogue, he quickly realized believers and non-believers alike really have no idea how to talk about faith. Their discussions are short-circuited by what he calls a “Belief Barrier.”
“We start by lecturing, and by trying to prove our point rather than by listening and trying to find out what it is that the person is either needing or wanting, or for that matter why they are the way they are.”
If you’d like to learn more about the book Believement visit the Mark Cornelius website, or order the bookthrough Tate Publishing. You can also find the book at Amazon.com and other online book retailers.