A Lenten Review of ‘Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious’ by Ross Douthat

<![CDATA[As I write this, Lent is quickly drawing to a close in churches that continue to practice the tradition. Maybe it was just my family, but growing up Episcopalian, Lent was never taken as seriously as it should have been. A bit of ash on your forehead one Wednesday, followed by a vague promise to give up smoking, swearing, or some other offense. In some cases, one might forego Hershey Bars or something for those 40 days as an act of self-denial. At one point, I remember churches announcing that the focus of Lent should no longer be on giving something up but rather embracing a positive habit or lifestyle change. ]]>