Donald E. Sloat

Growing Up Holy & Wholly Donald E. Sloat 2nd edition

Home Review included the 1st edition of Growing Up Holy & Wholly in their 2005 list of 100 top selling counseling books. This 2nd edition is updated and revised. It takes a modified version of the secular Adult Children of Alcoholic (ACA) dysfunctional rules of Don't Talk, Don't Trust, and Don't Feel as a starting point to explain how the rule-bond, legalistic form of Christianity creates its own uniques set of dysfunctional rules. Following these rules creates an internal split in a person's psyche by invalidating the the true self in the quest for "Holiness." As a result, many sincere Christians strive for holiness but struggle with an internal, confusing angst because they are detached from themselves, unable to become a whole person. To many individuals, the only answer is a wholesale rejection of their faith because they see no other options. The author brings a forthright assessment of the problem and describes the dilemma so that it makes makes sense and provides a path to proper wholeness that allows Christians to keep the essential elements of their faith. As one reader exclaimed, "This book takes all of the things I had been feeling and didn't understand, and put them into words that made sense to me."