Atheist Pastors?

What would your church do if your pastor says he is an atheist? A church in the Netherlands had to answer that question after their pastor wrote a book entitled: Believing in a God Who Does Not Exist – Manifesto of an Atheist Pastor. The church came to the conclusion that his atheistic views did not differ fundamentally from those of other liberal theologians within the denomination and therefore retained his services as pastor.

After some 25 years of ministry as a Pentecostal preacher in Louisiana, Jerry DeWitt also announced to his congregation that he was an avowed atheist. Recently, DeWitt told a group in Johnson County, Kansas: “If you don’t believe, then you will be like me – you’ll suddenly find yourself where you only have two choices. You can either be honest that you don’t believe…or you can pretend that you do – which is what so many people are doing and that is called faith.”

DeWitt is now Executive Director of Recovering from Religion, an organization he founded in 2009. Since leaving the pulpit, DeWitt was nurtured by Clergy Project – a movement aimed at giving doubting and atheist preachers a community in which they can talk about their disbelief. The Clergy movement is a growing community with former rabbis, imams and Catholic priests. Most members in this 300 member organization are Protestants.

DeWitt and members of the Clergy Project claim that they no longer hold to a belief in anything beyond the natural. Since the existence of God or gods falls into this category, they deny the existence of deities. Atheists do not believe in the supernatural. Hence, they cannot believe in miracles, because miracles imply an intervention of someone beyond the natural.

Interestingly, atheism is acceptable within some religious belief systems like Jainism, Buddhism and Neo-pagan movements like Wicca. Although very humanitarian in their practices, these and similar belief systems will not acknowledge divine intervention.

However, Christianity has always maintained a belief system that includes divine intervention. As a matter of fact, Christians believe, Jesus is God manifested in the human form. Christians teach, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and made His dwelling among us…” (John 1:14). Christians contend that the birth and resurrection of Jesus were miraculous acts.

How is it possible for one to have taught these things and now to deny them? DeWitt claims that he was first confronted with his disbelief when he “became the person who got the burden of preaching about hell.” Apart from questions about hell, DeWitt began to doubt certain biblical translations, healing and the failure of prayer.

DeWitt has now joined ranks with Teresa MacBain, who for 44 years was in ministry, culminating in a senior pastoral position at a Methodist Church in Florida. She is now Acting Executive Director of the Clergy Project. At an American Atheists convention in Maryland, she announced her atheism, inspiring a roaring round of applause.

I believe there are a number of factors that can drive clergy to deny the faith. Some of these existed in the first century. Peter refers to them as “false prophets” and “false teachers.” Peter contends such leaders “will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them…” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

The truth is we have grown accustomed to a type of Christianity without divine power. Some of us are best known for our social programs, our diversity and pluralism. Although noble, they have replaced practices like revival and spiritual renewal. Our sermons are no longer convicting, they merely inspire and soothe discomfort.

One priest along the Texas-Mexico border now tries animal therapy. His dogs have their own vestments and greet parishioners and accompany the pastor during the service. This priest believes, “In this dehumanized era, dogs are the angels that will keep us human.”

Some churches still teach how to position your lips in order to speak in tongues – isn’t this an attempt to disguise supernatural intervention? From our pulpits we have replaced the grace of God with the greed of gold. It is only a matter of time before we or our listeners get sick of this charade.

Because I have personally experienced the power of God in my life and ministry, I am saddened with much of what passes for Christian ministry today. We have allowed others to determine our priorities and see little need “to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). To contend is an athletic term that means to fight with all one’s strength…to strive energetically…to be strenuous in defense.

I am still convinced that what was entrusted to us is worth defending. That is why Christianity continues to soar as the best of the belief systems. Even with unanswered questions, it offers a hope that is indisputable.