A Conversation about Christian Agnosticism
When asked, I tell people that I’m an Agnostic who prefers to live like a Christian.
I heard this challenge from a radio talk show host, who wondered aloud why Agnostics lived like Atheists. He asked, “why not still attend church?” As a Christian, this question made sense. Over the last few years, though, things have changed, and I find myself re-evaluating this question.
I see a lot of people are questioning their Christian faith. I’m sure this is happening in other religions, but I can only speak to the one I know best and see most often.
While I understand people in this situation, I want them to keep parts of their faith as they question the existence of God and the role of religion in their life.
I found three ways to keep my relationship with God.
Lifelong Learning
Doubt is good. Faith is good. That’s the point of the quotation above. They don’t have to be exclusionary. I’m an educator by trade, so it’s easy for me to continually learn. I still read history, books on pedagogy and leadership, as well as the Bible and other books or articles on theology.
Many Agnostics leave out the theological books and the Bible. But why? There’s so much to learn. I also know some Christians who only read the Bible and books that echo their beliefs. Again, why not challenge yourself?
In the last few years, I have read the following books:
- UnClubber: Rethinking Our Misuse of The Bible on Homosexuality
- Men on Fire: Restoring the Forces That Forge Noble Manhood
- Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus
- Transforming: The Bible and the Lives of Transgendered Christians
- Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why
- Truth and Fiction in The Da Vinci Code
- Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth
At first glance, this list may seem to lean one way, but keep in mind, I’ve read a lot of CS Lewis, RC Sproul, Oswald Chambers, Rick Warren, and similar authors. I am also about to begin a book study on Philip Yancey’s The Jesus I Never Knew, which I first read in the late1990s. Overall, it’s a balance.
Agnostics should also keep reading the Bible. I recently bought the NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible. The goal of this Bible is to provide an understanding of the customs, culture, and literature of the time period. It’s not perfect, but does a good job with the history of the cultures. If anyone knows of a study bible that explains the Creation Story as a poem (not fact), or the myth of the flood, that Exodus didn’t happen, and the political debate over the trinity, let me know!
Podcasts are another way to keep in touch with God without the Sunday morning commitment. I’d suggest: Exploring My Strange Bible by Tim Mackie. It ended in 2019, but there are over 100 sermons Agnostics would enjoy. In fact, I use podcasts as my sermons. Sermons are the only part of a worship service I like, so I just skip to the main dish. I can listen to them on Sundays, or a Tuesday afternoon while I jog in my neighborhood.
Agnostics should re-read the Bible, history, philosophy, history, and theology. Everyone should know why they believe what they do.
Find People
No matter where people are in their faith journey, it’s easy to find folks who have the same beliefs. It’s also easy to find those who don’t, and sometimes, it’s easy to dismiss them.
I would suggest keeping believers nearby.
Currently, I have a variety of friends and family along the entire faith spectrum. Two of my best friends are committed Christians and we do have conversations about faith and God. In fact, it was one of my Christian friends who told me the Philip Yancey quotation, “Jesus is the best kept secret of Christianity.”
I truly think Jesus was a revolutionary who would probably agree more with Bernie Sanders than Donald Trump.
Recently, I joined a men’s Bible study. The social aspect has been nice as we’ve done breakfast together and will spend the weekend camping soon. In our Bible studies, however, I don’t hold back on my doubts, but I also don’t belittle them for beliefs I don’t share.
For example, just from side conversations, I can assume that most of the men in my group do not support same-sex marriage as I do. I hope I’m wrong, we haven’t discussed it. But I’m sure they’re part of the “love the sinner, hate the sin” crowd as most Christians seem to be, and think that’s progressive. I’m in the, “love the believer, hate the belief” crowd (I stole that from somewhere, but I can’t remember from where).
To live like a Christian Agnostic, foster friendships from both worlds. Just watch for when they collide!
Volunteer
I’ve loved that quotation for years. So I was a bit saddened to recently learn that he may not have actually said it. It doesn’t make it less true.
Here are my two favorite verses in scripture:
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy — Micah 6:8Love your neighbor as you love yourself — Matthew 22:39
I also wrote about morality as an agnostic, where I conclude that the best, and simplest moral law, is the Golden Rule:
Do to others as you would have them do to you — Luke 6:31
I like this last one because it was a moral code 500 years before Jesus. It’s a secular idea!
For 10 years, I worked for a faith-based non-profit. We worked on the issue of Human Trafficking. We ran awareness campaigns for our community and created a “modern day abolitionists” curriculum for middle and high schools. I stopped tithing to my church and gave to this group, instead. Now, I’m finding another way to volunteer in my community.
Each day, I try to find a way to “love my neighbor.” Whether it’s through volunteering or just small acts of kindness throughout the day.
This is something everyone can agree upon and it isn’t even a religious duty. EVERYONE should find a way to volunteer in their community.
If you don’t know where to start, ask these two questions:
- What issue are you passionate about?
- What skills or hobbies are you passionate about?
With these two answers, merge them into an action plan.
I actually helped implement a curriculum in one of my schools with students, who did exactly this. This was not faith-based. Here’s an example of how one student answered these two questions and did an amazing job volunteering.
She was passionate about animals, dogs and cats, in particular. She also loved photography. She owned her own 35mm camera and often took pictures around her neighborhood.
She did the research, and found out that dogs and cats in shelters were more likely to get adopted if they had pictures online. A plan was made!
She took her camera, went to the local shelter, and created a calendar featuring her photography of the dogs and cats that needed a new home. It was amazing.
Everyone should volunteer. It might not make you feel closer to God, but it will make you feel closer to the love God wants you to have for others.
Conclusion
Being an Agnostic can still mean exploring a religious faith. Any faith. By continually learning about religion, interacting with religious friends, and volunteering in your community, you can still struggle with God, while feeling comfortable in your own skin.
