Question and Answer Exchange in The United Church Observer
                                                                                     (April 1997)

Question   While my faith may not have changed, certainly not in depth, the nature of it has.  I was so pleased when The Observer published an article on the Jesus Seminar.  Marcus Borg's book, On Meeting Jesus Again for the First Time, answered many many of my questions.  I have to interpret the Bible metaphorically if I want to continue using it.  Jesus was, for me, simply a courageous, passionate, deep and intelligent man from whom we can learn a lot and be inspired each day.  Concepts of the trinity and the forgiveness of sins (was that truly the reason for his death?) don't make sense to me.  I used to be an elder but couldn't continue if I had to remain honest with myself.  Church attendance has become sporadic.  If I were to share publicly some of my feelings, I think many regulars would reject me.  Yet I read the Bible regularly, am interested in other religions where they proclaim world peace, a holy respect for nature, tolerance, acceptance of many different viewpoints, and a genuine wish to love the men and women of this planet.  My question is,  "Can I still consider myself a Christian, and if so, why does the United Church not openly give air time to those who think less traditionally?"

Answer   Some would say the non-traditionalists have too much air time already in the United Church.  Churches and western society are experiencing a dark night of the soul in which our understanding of God, Jesus, church and much else are breaking down in order for new insights to rise up like the seed that must fall to the ground and die before there can be new life.  Your questions are part of this gestation process.  Congregations need people like you who have the courage to express their views.  You challenge them to figure out how to present our faith meaningfully to the many, many folk who find it irrelevant.  In a time of spiritual crisis, many hold tight to the doctrines of history, rejecting the views of  those who don't have the "right" answer. Such folk remind the church of the values of the past against which to the test the new.  If you are seeking truth  for your life in the depths of  the the Christian story, then you could consider yourself a Christian if you wish.  You might even think of yourself as part of God's action of "making all things new."

Answer by Yvonne Stewart

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