My name is David and I am trying to be the Graceful Atheist.
After twenty some odd years of being a Christian my faith broke down in 2015. I could no longer sustain belief. It seemed to me the deeper I dug for truth in my beliefs the shakier they became. In contrast, the deeper I dug for truth in science the more profound it became.
Having had faith I still respect and care for those who remain in their faith. Having lost it I am interested in finding evidence based truth. I want to discover and communicate the subtleties of why some believe, some do not and some change their minds.
Matt Sanderson on Spirituality Without the Supernatural, Wonder, and Meaning After Faith – Graceful Atheist Podcast
Matt Sanderson is the author of I Wonder: Notes on Spirituality without the Supernatural. My conversation with Matt is poignant and vulnerable touching on his loss of faith, the loss of his mother and his search for meaning without dogma and the supernatural.Matt tells us his faith journey from an atheist upbringing into evangelical/charismatic Christianity, drawn by community and an intense prayer experience, then later unraveling beliefs after being challenged, doubling down, and gradually deconverting through wider reading (philosophy, neuroscience) without a dramatic exit. Matt explains the book began as an attempt to sort through accumulated ideas, intensified after his mother’s death and his reflections on grief without belief in an afterlife. He discusses religious experiences as common human phenomena (via William James), religion’s techniques for evoking awe, non-reductionism, meaning as created (influenced by Viktor Frankl), the value and challenges of secular community, and joy/comedy as truth-telling. He frames wonder as both questioning and awe.Linkshttps://mattsanderson.co.ukhttps://mattsanderson1.substack.comAs an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.I Wonder: Notes on Spirituality without the Supernaturalhttps://link.amazon/B0dtMgo6TInteractShow Noteshttps://gracefulatheist.com/2026/10/13/matt-sanderson-i-wonder/Join the Deconversion Anonymous Facebook group!Support the podcastPatreon https://www.patreon.com/gracefulatheistPaypal: paypal.me/gracefulatheistDeconversionhttps://gracefulatheist.com/2017/12/03/deconversion-how-to/Secular Gracehttps://gracefulatheist.com/2016/10/21/secular-grace/Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
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