Skeptical Faith

Gospel illustration from the Book of Kells by 9th century Celtic months, Trinity College, Dublin Popular books and movies, and current religious TV shows, show zealous preachers walking a stage with a big, black book in their hands, allowing it to rest open on one hand while gesturing or pointing to a passage with the other. They draw out often obscure words and phrases, trying to make their point. Back in the day, they were referred to as Bible thumpers. They give you the impression that all wisdom, all knowledge - everything you could ever want to know or learn - is contained in that book. The Reformation, the movement beginning in the 16 th century in which dissidents from Catholicism created Protestantism, codified this view in the doctrine of "sola scriptura" or “scripture only.” That's the doctrine that the Bible contains everything you need to know to be a Christian. The church is secondary at best. Many have qualified this view in light of greate...

This is the name of a 1917 book by Rudolf Otto, a famous German Lutheran theologian. I was encouraged to read it in the seminary. I didn’t understand it then, and I’m sure I wouldn’t now. So what I write here in no way reflects Otto’s famous book; I’m simply borrowing the title. I like the title because I believe “the idea of the holy” summarizes what I believe is a big problem for contemporary Americans, especially the young. For many, the word “holy” is an enigma. It’s not in our vocabulary. We don’t know exactly what it means, and seldom use the word. It’s one of those churchy words that make little sense to most contemporary people. I often think of this when singing, “Holy, holy, holy…” at Mass. As a believer, I can make the words my own, but are those words, and the whole vocabulary of religion, meaningful to the majority of young (and many older) people today? I don’t think so. Here is a bunch of other words, common in church circles, that may cause some head ...

The church lady, played by Dana Carvey, was one of my favorite Saturday Night Live characters. Dressed in clothes and with a hairdo that was unfashionable even in the 1950s, she laced her spoof interviews with frequent references to Satan, and made judgmental comments to her guests with expressions such as, “Isn’t that special?” and “How convenient!” The church lady was a model of hypocrisy, judgmental to the core. A 2012 survey found that 62 percent of millennials (18-24 year olds) believe that present-day Christianity is “judgmental.” It’s among the most often-heard accusations against religious people. And without a doubt, some religious people are just that, appearing to be bitter (unlike the church lady who seemed to have a lot fun zinging her guests) and resentful of others. I believe many people, young and old, who have given up on God and religion but are still searching see committed Christians in this light. Stinging dingers Ironically, no one was more crit...

In reading religious publications, particularly Catholic ones, you get the impression that many people believe that if the church would change its position on the moral/social issues – like abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, women and gay clergy, etc. – young people would return to the church in droves. I don’t think so. I think the crisis of faith is much deeper. From what I’ve read and experienced, it’s basically a matter of relevance, or the question, “Why do I need faith?” and “Why do I need religion?” If it were simply a matter of the moral/social issues, the mainline Protestant churches – many of whom do not oppose abortion, contraception, and same-sex marriage and have women and gay clergy – would not be experiencing the exodus from their churches that nearly matches that of the Catholic Church. “While only 11% of Millennials were religiously unaffiliated in childhood,” says a recent survey, “one-quarter (25%) currently identify as unaffiliated, a ...

I hope those of you who are not Catholic will forgive me for writing about the Pope. Though it’s obvious that in this blog I look at things from the Catholic perspective, I want Skeptical Faith to be useful to people of all faiths and no faiths. It’s just that Pope Francis strikes me as someone, like the Dalai Lama, who has something to say to everyone. Some people may ask, “What’s the big deal about a pope being personal and open, living simply, appearing vulnerable and fallible, wanting the church to be welcoming, and speaking honestly about  doubt and gays?” Shouldn't you expect that of a religious leader? Yes, but it hasn't been true for any pope in my memory, with the possible exception of John XXIII (1958-1963). Here are some interesting things Pope Frances has said in a recent interview, as reported in America magazine. I’ve edited them for length and relevancy to this blog. They make the blog a bit longer, but you can use the header to pick and choose what ...