The Parenting Beyond Belief Workshops

with Dale McGowan

Over nine million parents in the U.S. are raising children without theistic religion. The PARENTING BEYOND BELIEF WORKSHOP, a unique half-day event with author and educator Dale McGowan, offers encouragement and practical solutions for secular parenting in a religious world.

Based on the freethinking philosophy of the book Newsweek called "a compelling read," the PARENTING BEYOND BELIEF WORKSHOP is empowering secular parents across the country to raise ethical, caring, confident kids without religion.

Participants will learn effective ways to:

  • Encourage religious literacy without indoctrination;
  • Help kids interact productively with a religious world;
  • Help kids develop active moral reasoning;
  • Weigh church-state issues in the public sphere;
  • Address sensitive issues with religious relatives using the principles of nonviolent communication;
  • Help children develop a healthy understanding of death and a joyful love of life;
  • Build a family atmosphere of fearless questioning and boundless wonder;

...and much more.

Workshops are hosted by local groups, including Ethical Societies, freethought groups, UU fellowships, and parent meetups. For information on bringing the PBB Workshop to your location, contact Dale McGowan.

Past workshops

UU Church of Birmingham Unitarian Society
of New Haven (CT)		 UU Church in Westport (CT)
UU Congregation of Atlanta Iowa Secularists Ethical Humanist Soc
of Greater Chicago
Harvard Humanists First Unitarian Minneapolis Ethical Society of St. Louis
Ethical Culture Society
of Bergen County		 Humanist Society of New Mexico Free Inquiry Group, Cincinnati
Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture First UU of Austin (TX) U Tex Arlington Freethinkers
NY Society for Ethical Culture UU Congregation of Miami CFI Michigan
Baltimore Homeschool Community Center Humanists of North Puget Sound Free Thoughts, Free Kids of Co Springs
Center for Inquiry Indiana UU Fellowship of Raleigh CFI Portland (OR)
Edmonds UU Church (WA) Triangle Freethought Society (NC)

What workshop participants are saying:

"Very positive, practical, humorous, ethical presentation!"
"Eye-opening, interesting...fascinating"
"Wonderful seminar, wonderful book!"
"Very powerful to be given these tools to help our children...fabulous!"
"I have never felt less alone. Thank you Dale"
"I wish we could have gone on all day!"
"An effective combination of humor and powerful information"
"The family spectrum exercise was so revealing. I don't see myself as an island anymore"
"I came away with a more positive attitude about parenting than I have ever had before"
"Exhilarating, informative, fun"

Dale Speaks!

Dale has spoken at Harvard University, the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly, the national conference of religious educators for the American Ethical Union, and the convention of Atheist Alliance International, as well as Unitarian Universalist congregations, Ethical Societies, and freethought groups in thirteen states and the District of Columbia. Topics include:

  • nontheistic parenting
  • raising independent thinkers
  • connecting critical thinking and ethics
  • humanist philanthropy
  • his personal journey to religious disbelief
  • the challenges of humanism in the 21st century
  • the importance of dissent
  • the problem of expertise
  • humor as a tool for social change
  • the humbling nature of scientific progress
  • the role of dogma both in and out of religion

To invite Dale to speak to your organization, click here.

Meet Dale McGowan

Dale McGowan on the importance of religious literacy, even in secular families