For more than twenty years, Charles Templeton was a major figure in the church in Canada and the United States. During the 1950s, he and Billy Graham were the two most successful exponents of mass evangelism in North America. Templeton spoke nightly to stadium crowds of up to thirty thousand people.

However, increasing doubts about the validity of the Old Testament and the teachings of the Christian church finally brought about a crisis in his faith and in 1957 he resigned from the ministry.

In Farewell to God, Templeton speaks out about his reasons for the abandonment of his faith. In straightforward language, Templeton deals with such subjects as the Creation fable, racial prejudice in the Bible, the identity of Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus’ alienation from his family, the second-class status of women in the church, the mystery of evil, the illusion that prayer works, why there is suffering and death, and the loss of faith in God.

He concludes with a positive personal statement: “I Believe.”

Charles Templeton's profile page

CHARLES BRADLEY TEMPLETON (1915-2001) was executive managing editor of the Toronto Star, editor-in-chief of Maclean’s magazine, and director of news and public affairs for the CTV television network. Born in Toronto, Templeton was a cartoonist, evangelist, agnostic, inventor and politician. He is the author of twelve books published in fifty-one editions and eleven languages. He was the host of many television programs in Canada and the United States and co-host with Pierre Berton of the daily radio program Dialogue, which was syndicated across Canada for eighteen years.

“Farewell to God is Templeton’s manifesto, a purging process in which he lays out all the reasons he has rejected the Christian faith, venting his disillusion with virtually all organized religions. It’s a book that’s meant to challenge—and it succeeds.”
—Saskatoon StarPhoenix

“Templeton’s theological challenges will give the mature Christian something to grapple with.”
—Globe and Mail

“Templeton thinks clearly and he has the skill at exposition and demolition of a good journalist.”
—Montreal Gazette