Let’s start again.

About the author

I am not a super-religious person, but I grew up in the church in America and can’t deny that I view the world through a Christian lens. I have been through several periods of particular religious devotion, once in high school when I was involved in a “non-denominational” youth group, and again after my divorce when I was craving community and found it at church. At that time I even considered becoming a pastor, and I completed a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies at a Lutheran seminary.

What passes for Christianity in America today is very troubling. I am convinced Jesus would be appalled by it. I do not think Christians have a comprehensive set of answers that other religions and belief systems don’t have, and I do not perceive religious diversity as threatening to me. And while I am wary of citing scripture without context, I am pretty confident that when Jesus said “Love one another,” he meant it. Maybe we could just start there.

My goal is to look critically at Christianity and see if I can come out the other side with some faith, or at least hope. Can we take it apart and start again? Isn’t that the promise of the resurrection?

I believe there is a way to operate within Christianity - the tradition I was born into and formed within - to make the world a better place, even if just a little. Not to recruit people but to love them. Not to convert people but to serve them. Not just to talk about good news, but to be good news in the world.

I’d love it if you’d join me on the journey,