Atheist Clergy Colleagues Agree on Many Things, but…

August 31, 2015
by Linda LaScola

Editor’s Note: Bob Ripley, a retired, non-believing United Church of Canada minister has mixed and strong feelings about the efforts of his former colleague, Gretta Vosper, to remain in the church as an open atheist. Both are also open members of The Clergy Project. I gave advance notice of this blog post to Gretta and a few other TCP members and invited them to comment here. I know that some TCP members support Gretta and I don’t know about some others’ views. It’s a touchy subject for sure. Your input is welcome. Me? I’m not sure how I feel about it, so I’m staying neutral on this one. Other bloggers have written about this subject here, here, here and here. Gretta is strongly supported in a letter written by TCP member, John Shuck, who is pastor of a progressive Presbyterian Church in Oregon and in a blog post by TCP member Ryan Bell.

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By Bob Ripley

I agree with former Canadian colleague in Christian ministry, Gretta Vosper.

I agree that how you behave trumps what you believe. I agree that religion is a human construct and a source of horrific violence. I agree that God and Jesus, along with the hundreds of deities humans have worshipped, are the products of mythology.

Like Gretta, I took the vows of ordination that I believed in God: Father Son and Holy Spirit, that I believed God was calling me to the ordained ministry and that I was willing to be subject to the oversight and discipline of The United Church of Canada. And like Gretta, I subsequently changed my mind.

I disagree, however, with Gretta’s insistence on continuing to serve a Christian congregation under those vows.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rationaldoubt/2015/08/atheist-clergy-colleagues-agree-on-many-things-but/