- Are you on a journey away from traditional Christianity?
- Have you walked away from ‘organised’ Religion?
- Maybe you can relate to one of these descriptions.
Maybe you are one of those people who used to believe but now see yourself as a sceptic; an agnostic or a non-believer. Perhaps you are seen by some as a heretic.
My journey through Christendom really started over 60 years ago when I was 22. It has taken many twists and turns (as I have described here on my blog). It was in 1995 that I was ‘forced’ to reconsider (for the second time) just about everything I had ever been taught. I finally walked away from ‘organised’ church in 2009 without ever doubting the existence of ‘God’.
I listened to a podcast in August 2018 entitled “The Invisible Church” that just summed up so many of my thoughts. I have written my own summary here.
It was Richard Holloway (the former leader of the Episcopal Church in Scotland) who suggested that the symbol ‘God’ is one of the most ambiguous of human inventions. Richard has had a big impact on my thinking, as have Diana Butler Bass and Barbara Brown Taylor. By 2012 I had a faith that I thought I could hold on to loosely.
I could never have imagined then how much my understanding would change over the following six years – influenced in no small part by my membership of U3A (University of the Third Age) in Brighton where I live.
I have long been interested in what makes people ‘tick’ (see “Mind Maps”). I have been familiar with Myers Briggs for many years and I have recently been developing an interest in the Enneagram. One result of this was to realise that it was time to stop holding back, and share more of my current thoughts, both here on the blog and in a presentation to be given to the local U3A group in November.
Basically I’d like to encourage anyone who is interested to step back for a bit from arguments about theology and start exploring some of the many thoughts that people have had over the years about the meaning of the word ‘God’.
If you are still with me, please have a look at “What do we understand by the word ‘God’?”. Would you like to see what others have been thinking, and maybe share some of your thoughts? Do you use Facebook or have your own blog?
Separately in “Stepping Stones” I have created a series of bullet points (my favourite way of presenting material) pointing to just some of the material that has been important to me since 2012.
Please feel free to comment here; on Facebook; or by email (my gmail address is oldpete76).
