Book excerpt: Beyond Denial is a collection of essays envisioning a spirituality for our time that is life-affirming and inclusive, intellectually viable and socially responsible. The author, an ordained minister, integrates Judeo-Christian insights with the rich resources of many world religions and wisdom-streams. He emphasizes the centrality of consciousness in spiritual practice, first through fostering experiential awareness of our inherent inner Divinity, but also through consciously perceiving--and moving beyond denial of--whatever dysfunctional patterns may plague us individually or in society. From Columbine to the Clinton impeachment, from Alanis Morissette music to baseball games, Acheson invites readers to look at the world with curiosity and compassion, for it is only through inner questioning that we may transform all we've denied so far. This book offers a range of valuable insights and practices for shaping a hopeful future through expanded awareness of all levels of the human experience.