Posted on 03/21/2015 7:33:01 PM PDT by hiho hiho
“How can you call yourself a Christian, let alone a minister?!”
I get asked that question frequently and the questioner is hostile more often than not. Still, I like to answer it if I believe the questioner is sincere.
Though I self-identify as a Christian and I am an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), I raised eyebrows a few years ago when I posted an article on my website about how my personal beliefs don’t align with those of most Presbyterians.
For example, I believe that:
- Religion is a human construct
- The symbols of faith are products of human cultural evolution
- Jesus may have been an historical figure, but most of what we know about him is in the form of legend
- God is a symbol of myth-making and not credible as a supernatural being or force
- The Bible is a human product as opposed to special revelation from a divine being
- Human consciousness is the result of natural selection, so there’s no afterlife
In short, I regard the symbols of Christianity from a non-supernatural point of view.
And yet, even though I hold those beliefs, I am still a proud minister. But I don’t appreciate being told that I’m not truly a Christian.
Why is that so many people think my affirmations are antithetical to Christianity? I think it is because Christianity has placed all of its eggs in the belief basket. We all have been trained to think that Christianity is about believing things. Its symbols and artifacts (God, Bible, Jesus, Heaven, etc) must be accepted in a certain way. And when times change and these beliefs are no longer credible, the choices we are left with are either rejection or fundamentalism.
I think of Christianity as a culture. It has produced 2,000 years of artifacts: literature, music, art, ethics, architecture, and (yes) beliefs. But cultures evolve and Christianity will have to adapt in order to survive in the modern era.
Many of those paths will be dead ends. As Daniel Dennett once said, the dinosaurs really have not died out because modern birds carry on many of their traits. Similarly, as religions evolve, they may look similar in some respects and quite different in others. You may not even call some of them religions anymore, depending on how you define the word.
I believe one of the newer religious paths could be a “belief-less” Christianity. In this “sect,” one is not required to believe things. One learns and draws upon practices and products of our cultural tradition to create meaning in the present. The last two congregations I have served have huge commitments to equality for LGTBQ people and eco-justice, among other things. They draw from the well of our Christian cultural tradition (and other religious traditions) for encouragement in these efforts. I think a belief-less Christianity can be a positive good for society.
Belief-less Christianity is thriving right now, even as other forms of the faith are falling away rapidly. Many liberal or progressive Christians have already let go or de-emphasized belief in Heaven, that the Bible is literally true, that Jesus is supernatural, and that Christianity is the only way. Yet they still practice what they call Christianity. Instead of traditional beliefs, they emphasize social justice, personal integrity and resilience, and building community. The cultural artifacts serve as resources.
But what about belief in God? Can a belief-less Christianity really survive if God isn’t in the picture? Can you even call that Christianity anymore? In theory, yes. In practice, it is a challenge because “belief in God” seems to be so intractable. However, once people start questioning it and realize that they’re not alone, it becomes much more commonplace.
Since posting my article — and in response to my ministry in general — many have opened up to me that they didn’t believe in God but they liked coming to my church. One young woman, after going through my confirmation class, joined the church. She read her faith statement in front of the congregation. It was a powerful articulation of her social justice commitments in which she added that she didn’t believe in God. The congregation enthusiastically welcomed her, of course.
Personally, even though I don’t believe in God as a supernatural agent or force, many still do. I utilize the symbol “God” in worship. This may be viewed as cheating but since our cultural tradition is filled with images of God, it is near impossible to avoid. As a symbol, I’m not yet ready to let go of God. It is a product of myth-making — I know that — but the symbol incorporates many of our human aspirations. I find that “God” for me is shorthand for all the things for which I long: beauty, truth, healing, and justice. They’re all expressed by this symbol and the stories about it.
Someone quipped that my congregation is BYOG: Bring Your Own God. I use that and invite people to “bring their own God” — or none at all. While the symbol “God” is part of our cultural tradition, you can take it or leave it or redefine it to your liking. That permission to be theological do-it-yourselfers is at the heart of belief-less Christianity.
I understand some Christians may react with hostility and panic to this idea — they already have — but it deserves an honest discussion.
Hmm, he calls himself a “Christian”. Maybe he doesn’t realize the word, “Christ” is in that name as the name “Christian” is given to one who believes in Christ as the Son Of God. He is bastardizing that word.
He needs to read the book, “Counting To God” published this year by a scientist of 30 years study who proves there is a God using scientific evidence that cannot be disputed. “Natural selection” could not happen using scientific evidence to prove that. Read the book yourself and be amazed at the truth.
I suspect the opposite is true. He was killed, and his later followers decided that this "must have been" part of a larger plan, and they "must have" misinterpreted everything he said while he was alive. Well, Paul, mostly.
Then become an Imam. All these guys are so brave when facing Christians. Become an Imam.
ping
I’m sure we do disagree. But my only point was to disagree with C.S. Lewis: there are other interpretations besides the ones he laid out.
When Liberals redefine anything, the result is always that the word they are redefining loses all meaning.
They redefine marriage to mean whatever any two people (or more) want it to, so that it has no real meaning.
They redefine “family” to mean any group of people of any relation or none that want to co-inhabit, so that it has no meaning.
They redefine religion so that it means a vague spirituality (again, or none) so that it has no real power or obligation, and thus no meaning.
They trivialize and destroy our history, so that our heroes are really villains and patriotism has no meaning.
And now Christianity is the target. Why? because it is the one thing that encapsulates all the others. It defines marriage. It defines family and sets roles for Husbands, wives, parents and children. It is the source of our history and the basis of the principles our country was founded on. Christ gives life meaning, and to those who abhor him, shines an eternal light on their darkness, that they can not comprehend.
And so they would rather just exist....meaningless.
Is this guy's attitude and belief fairly common in the Presbyterian religion???
It is people like him that are hurting the testimony’s of those who truly love and follow Jesus.
He should know that “Christian” means Little Christ’s. and he is nothing like that. He is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, fleecing the flock for what he can take from them and leading them straight to hell.
It is “pastors” like this that make those who are looking at the church and seeing if there really is something different there that make them turn away as the “church” looks just like the rest of the world. He is hurting the true church and needs to loose his license and ordination to preach.
The people that attend there, if there are any that want to truly follow Jesus, they need to leave and find a truly bible believing church and expose this man for what he is.
Thank you for that reference. I will order the book. Christ is my Savior and I have a high school age son that is questioning things.
Why anyone would let their shadows darken the corridors of his hollow hallways is beyond me.
“But I don’t appreciate being told that I’m not truly a Christian.”
Okay, you’re an antichrist. Better?
Destruction of The Church and family was first and foremost in Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto.
Belief-less Christianity is Atheism.
You will not be disappointed in this book. I sent the book to a family member and he sent it to three people, one being his pastor and the pastor has contacted him to have a sit down to discuss the book. Your son will get factual scientific information that will convince him there had to be a divine hand to bring about our universe and create each division of plants and animals and people and they could not have “evolved” by natural selection.
When you read chapter 11, The Technology of Life, you will find one species could not make a new species. There could be changes within the species but no new separate specie could come from that species. In other words, a fish might have changes but no totally new fish could come from that one. Apes could change within the ape species but no new species could come from those apes.
It takes many trillions of connections (these are explained in detail) to come together to make a person - it cannot happen by chance and no other species could change to become a person.
I saw a lady holding a baby and the baby’s foot was exposed. I said to Bob, that foot has trillions of connections to become a foot and it had to happen by divine design. You will read why that foot could not have happened “accidently”.
Get back to me after reading the book, okay?
Is this guy’s attitude and belief fairly common in the Presbyterian religion???
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I assume you’re referring to the Pastor? I can’t say what the feeling is among PCUSA Pastors, but ours seemed to have regrets about where the Church was going. He had me write a letter to Session explaining exactly why we decided to leave the PCUSA. The straw that broke the camels back for us was their acceptance of Gay clergy. In my letter, I cited all the Biblical passages I knew where God clearly condemned this practice. but, I think it’s safe to say, these people have NO interest in what God’s Word says, but rather wish to hear what their “itching ears” want to hear.
Very sad these once great Christian denominations are be gutted by the rot of sin, secularism, and the virtue most prized by the Left...TOLERANCE!
Thank you, Marcella, for the in depth description.
I’ve always been amazed by everything God has created and have never doubted His hand in it, from the mountains to the oceans to holding a newborn baby.
This more ‘cerebral’ nuanced approach to life is so wrong. I’ve always had faith. I know it comes easier for some than others. I’ve always felt blessed though I have my share of challenges.
Thanks so much again!
Rev.3: 14-21
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That’s it!
<(((><
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