Online Support Group for Christian Clergy Who Are Atheists
Yes, you read that correctly. Read the whole story here, here’s a snippet:
As coming out parties go, this was a big one.
As the American Atheists convention here wound down in March, a woman with short dark hair and a dark suit took the stage.
Standing under the projection of a large capital “A,” she told the crowd of several hundred that she was a pastor who, for the last several months, had been questioning her beliefs online under the pseudonym “Lynn.”
Then she took a deep breath and said, “My name is Teresa. And I am an atheist.” As the room exploded with cheers, Teresa MacBain wiped away tears.
MacBain, 44, is the latest “graduate” of The Clergy Project, an online support network for pastors who, like her, have lost their faith and found atheism.
The goal of the project is not to pull pastors from the pulpit, but to provide those who have already lost their faith with a safe place to anonymously discuss what comes next. The hope is they will, like MacBain, eventually feel strong enough to put their families, friends and careers on the line and announce their atheism.
I hope that they get out of the pulpit, too. And soon. Of course, they would need wisdom and courage to do that, which comes from God, so for that and a few other reasons, pretty hopeless.
I suspect that one would find that a large majority of these people were placed into the pastoral office by churches whose seminaries teach that “the things that yo’ li’ble to read in the Bible/It ain’t necessarily so.” Once the one rule and norm of doctrine is gone, what can be believed with confidence? The historical critics start off one step from agnosticism.
Well, I can’t say I love the idea. But I am saddened that Teresa was treated with such hatred when she “came out” as an atheist. Where’s the Christian love? And frankly, while I do understand the sense of confusion that must come with finding out that your pastor doesn’t believe in God, at least they have the honesty to admit that they shouldn’t be leading a congregation anymore since they themselves have no faith. If we could embrace these people when they’re having a crisis of faith, and show them love and compassion and hope, perhaps we could win them back to the fold. But shunning them and threatening them is no way to help them.
I rather doubt it was simply a matter of a person having a crisis of faith, but rather outright rejecting the very things she had pledged to teach and preach. She should leave the ministry, not be retained, while she works through any “crisis of faith.”
There is a lesson in this for all of us; “These men, they found, had much in common — all went into ministry to help people, all began questioning their seminary training, and all let go of their faith gradually.” I would not presume to know what was in their hearts or minds, but this is a description of a pit in which the devil would push any pastor. If we are pouring ourselves out in service to others and are not having our faith strengthened through word and sacrament we are prone to fall prey. Going into the ministry for the right reasons is not enough to sustain us, our seminary training however good it may be is not enough to sustain us in our time of trial.
Interesting. In my sermon on Good Shepherd Sunday I warned my congregation members about ministers who don’t believe and the churches who tolerate them (mentioning the Danish situation). The ones who “come out” don’t bother me nearly so much as the ones who “stay in”.
@ptmccain
I was under the impression that she did leave her position. I can’t understand why anyone would want to remain a pastor if they no longer believe those things they’re preaching. I agree with you that anyone in that position should leave the ministry. Why on earth wouldn’t they?
How many pastors in America deny the virgin birth and the
resurrection of Jesus Christ? How many pastors in America
deny that the triune God created the world? How many
pastors deny the Holy Scriptures as inspired by God?
Obviously, the above list could go and on. We have many
“Christian” pastors who deny the basic beliefs of Christianity.
It is unfortunate that they are in parish ministry and for practical
reasons we may as well consider them atheists.
I am reminded of our Lord’s words in the Gospel of John (15th Chapter) when he speaks of Himself as the vine and us as the branches. If we are to bear fruit, we must have that intimate relationship with him, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. If we are not united to him intimately, then we die. Too many ministers have no intimate fellowship with Jesus and with the whole Trinity. As our Lord Jesus said, when this is the case “You can do nothing.”
I went to the local Episcopal Cathedral a few years back to hear a friend sing a solo in the choir. It was something by Puccini and she was sure I’d like it, please come. So I did. Choir was ok, the Puccini was his usual forgetable, and the organ was very well done as it gets tuned regularily as it did right after that service that Ascention Sunday. The departing Dean of the Cathedral gave the sermon which was mostly about how hard it was for him to believe in the Ascention, and so he never actually believe it. He preached unbelief in the Ascention that Sunday. You hear these things about the American Episcopal church, but you just have to experience them to really savor their very churchly, and reverent unbelief. The Dean was departing, this being his last sermon, because he’d gotten a better preferment at a larger cathedral.
I remember a psycho-babble game we used to play. One person mentions a denomination, and you answer with a one-word answer. I remember most that Episcopal got the word decorum from me. You can believe anything among us as long as you and we are decorus. Then that reminded me of the old joke: Are you religious? Oh, heavens no, we’re Episcopalian.
If a surgeon loses motor control in his hands and can no longer hold a scalpel, no hospital on earth would be insane enough to retain him and allow him to continue to operate.
If a pastor loses faith and can no longer preach the pure Word (which we know is sharp enough to pierce even to the joints and marrow), no parish on earth should retain him and allow him to continue to shepherd.
@Amy
I’m not sure she was treated with ‘hatred’ .. its just that her congregation found out in the papers … talk about shock and betrayal !!
“Then she took a deep breath and said, “My name is Teresa. And I am an atheist.” As the room exploded with cheers, Teresa MacBain wiped away tears.”
That should be enough to make us all cry.