Blessed Are the Nones

July 6, 2020
In this illuminating debut memoir, Kielsmeier-Cook explores the concept of spiritual singleness. After Kielsmeier-Cook’s formerly Christian husband became agnostic after three years together, they were left to navigate the challenges of a mixed-faith marriage. She mentions her concerns about the statistically high divorce rate in couples of “evangelicals and religious ‘nones,’” and recounts how she came to find fellowship among a group of local Catholic nuns, whose friendship make Kielsmeier-Cook realize she was not spiritually single. Describing the joy the nuns bring to their community, Kielsmeier-Cook inspires her husband to become more active in the church community even as he remains agnostic. Kielsmeier-Cook credits the nuns with spurring her to practice the virtues of kindness, patience, and gentleness with her family. Kielsmeier-Cook offers no pat platitudes (“This book will not save your marriage or convert your loved one”) and instead shares her story in order to “testify to a God who is good, who blesses believers and agnostics alike.” Kielsmeier-Cook’s questioning yet committed dedication to her faith will appeal and relate to any Christian within a mixed-faith home. (Sept.)Correction: An earlier version of this review misstated how long the author and her husband had been together when he told her he was agnostic. It also mischaracterized the way the author addressed divorce statistics.

August 28, 2020

Reading this debut by Kielsmeier-Cook is like going on a journey. The author initially focuses on her husband's decision to leave Christianity, but the core of the book is her own experiences with faith, or lack thereof. Kielsmeier-Cook has a background in conservative Protestant sects, including the Mennonites, but she finds herself drawn to Roman Catholic women monastics. This curiosity leads her to explore Saint John's Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in Collegeville, MN. There, and in her own neighborhoods, she discovers mentors who assist with spiritual guidance. The author also finds faith heroes in Dorothy Day, Jane Frances de Chantal, and �lisabeth Leseur, among others. Liturgical celebrations take on special significance and personal anecdotes shed insight into mixed-faith households, as her husband becomes agnostic while Kielsmeier-Cook remains a believer, though not associated with any specific faith or denomination. VERDICT The recollections and questions here are sure to resonate with couples in similar situations of exploring the depths of different forms of spirituality. As with any good memoir, readers will feel as if they are in conversation with a good friend. Recommended for general readers on faith journeys.--David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia

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