The Rev. Wayne Gordon is co-founder and chairman/president of the Christian Community Development Corp., with works to “reclaim and restore” communities by supporting the work of Christian community development corporations, including those that provide affordable housing. He is also a founder of the Lawndale Christian Development Association, which is involved in affordable housing.

Written by Dan Barker. Barker tells the story of his own journey from Christianity to Atheism.

Written by Jeffrey Mark. Mark describes his own experience turning away from Christianity and presents an Atheistic world view guided by science.

Written by Sam Harris. Harris argues that human morality is determined by scientific principles.

Written by Betty Brogaard. Brogaard describes her personal experience questioning her Christianity and her spiritual journey from religion to freethought.

Leon J. Podles, who lives in Baltimore and in Naples, Fla., wrote The Church Impotent: The Feminization of Christianity (Spence, 1999).

Marcia Y. Riggs is J. Erskine Love Professor of Christian Ethics at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. She wrote Plenty Good Room: Women Versus Male Power in the Black Church (Pilgrim Press, 2003).

Sally Moran of Charleston, S.C., is the author of a 2004 print-on-demand book, Women of the Covenant: The Case for Female Roman Catholic Priests.

Kenneth Carder is professor of the practice of pastoral formation at Duke University, Durham, N.C., and senior fellow of Pulpit & Pew. He is a United Methodist bishop.