“In the classic tale of religious conversion, finding God holds the promise of a life filled with purpose and meaning. But what happens when this transformation occurs in reverse, and a faith you have built your life around begins to fall away?”

That’s the question of The Unbelieving, a play based on research by Daniel Dennett and Linda LaScola about practicing clergy members of various religions who have stopped believing in God.

Dennett and LaScola interviewed these clergy for their book, Caught in the Pulpit: Leaving Belief Behind, and article, “Preachers Who Are Not Believers.” The play uses the words of these clergy from these interviews, and, according to a press release, “explores the struggles, courage, and great humor of these ‘unbelievers’ as they face the hardest decision of their lives—whether to continue living in secret or to risk everything by telling the truth.”

The play is being put on by the acting company The Civilians at 59E59 Theaters. Previews begin October 20th with opening night set for October 27th. You can find out more about the show here.