Toto

Ask the ethicist {NYTimes requires free registration}

Someone wrote in to the Times' staff ethicist and asked:

Amazingly, the answer runs to eight paragraphs, including the answers yes, no, maybe, and (of course) it's just a phase, dear, we all have those moments, but you'll get over it.

But it recalls the number of former ministers who are now atheists - Dan Barker, Robert Price, Farrel Til, etc., as well as Bishop Spong, who doesn't seem to believe in much of Christianity but can't give up the name, as well as some posters here.

I have heard speculation that the Higher Criticism has led many Bible believers to atheism. I have heard that a local Christian evangelical church in LA prefers its pastors to not have a background in divinity school, since those people tend to fall from the true path.

I won't bother asking what it says about Christianity that so many who study it so thoroughly come away deconverted.

wildernesse

A minister? I have no problems with an atheist minister, as I think that ministering is the act of meeting people's needs.

A preacher? Now that's a stretch.

I think that the best thing for this "member of the the clergy" to do is to take a sabbatical--if only to figure out why he continues in a job that makes him feel like a fraud and is an empty, futile performance. If he comes to the conclusion that it isn't healthy to continue in his present calling, then he should be honest about why he's leaving.

I think that we (believers) can learn plenty about our religion and how our beliefs inform our actions from people who don't believe in God. I think it would be difficult for non-believers to exhort believers to grow in their faith--but not for them to grow as individuals, something that is equally important as spiritual growth. IMO.

--tibac

missus_gumby

It would seem that being an atheist priest or vicar in the UK is not so unusual.

The online Telegraph (the electronic version of the overtly christian British broadsheet newspaper) of 31/07/02 published some figures regarding religious belief amongst the British religious hierarchy; here are a few current figures (provided by 2,000 clergy) from the article:

One third of the clergy do not believe in the resurrection.
50% of the clergy do not think the virgin birth happened.
25% do not accept the doctrine of the trinity.
20% do not believe god created the world.

Every now and then one reads an article in the British press about a vicar or priest who claims to have no religious belief - in effect they "come out" and declare themselves as non-believers of one stripe or another. Funnily, they are always fired from their jobs, however benevolent, helpful, charitable or good they have been in their ministry. One must suppose that like me, they think it is perfect possible to be a reasonably decent person without recourse to the religious indoctrination they received as children in school, or later in life.

Martin

Amos

Those who confess their doubt are just more honest about their unbelief.

The whole point here is that believers are doubters and so neither are Christians because both faith and doubt must be annihilated through understanding wherefore neither faith nor doubt can exist for Christians-- or atheist would be Christians as well (only the degree of faith and doubt would distinguish them).

Divinity schools are a contradiction in terms because the first lesson taught there should be that the divine must be inspired and cannot be taught.

Higher Criticism is a bigger farce because it isolates the conscious mind (TOK) as the superior road to understanding while in fact it must be annihilated (get thee behind me satan). Such criticism is therefore most likely to end up in frustration and lead atheism or others forms of abandonment.

Starboy

I have not problem with atheist ministers, since I am one. You may call me pastor Starboy.

sourdough

sure can,see;
Universal life church.

Rousseau_CHN

but of course, you can lie, he can lie, I can lie...

Shake

Don't we have these already? Called social workers?

Rusting Car Bumper

That's not a what a social worker does. A social worker is not merely a feel good support mechanism. In private and in public hospitals, for example, they are involved with patients interfacing with other entities or agencies for incoming or outgoing treatments and arrangements.

For example, if a patient requires out of hospital care at home for a time a social worker might be the one to help arrange and explain options to the patient.

In any case, a Unitarian-Universalist could be an atheist minister.

DC