You Wanna Do What Now??

Oh, why not, let's just go for it.

Hello, all you lovely subscribers -

You may or may not know the tag line to my CHASING LIGHT memoir: An agnostic ex-pastor on the hunt for God in a small RV with two big dogs. What could go wrong?

The memoir is about my search for the Divine in a world where that has often felt less and less possible. The book’s tag line communicates the clash (LOL, Should I Go or Should I Stay) between my despair and my longing.

Anyway, I wonder if that between-belief-and-hope (agnostic means “don’t know”) is a place where a lot of us have landed lately. Maybe we feel homeless with regard to a faith community and/or a faith identity. Maybe, like me, you’ve been tempted to jettison the whole enterprise. Or you are hanging in there with your church and/or your beliefs, but you have some Really Big Questions. I remember feeling like I had no one to talk to (this was before “deconstruction” became a buzzword), and in truth I felt a lot of shame about my bone-deep doubts.

In early 2024 I’m beginning a series in which we’ll consider “systematic theology,” a fancy term that I’m simply using here to mean “the big picture” approach to the Biblical story.

I read the Bible as a collection of stories and poems and tales, some myths, some arguably historical (supported by ancient sources other than the Bible), that have the common theme of telling a story of love and redemption, a story that opens rather than closes the way ahead.

My blood boils when I see Bible verses lifted out and used as a tool to harm or control — as a bludgeon or vise or pry bar. I believe that to be a twisted and shallow way of interacting with scripture.

In seminary we were trained to always interpret any scripture by considering the historical context. One of my professors would regularly coach us to ask, “What is the intention of the material? Who is it meant for?” We were warned away from trying to interpret through modern-day lenses and imposing meaning that does disservice to the text, at the same time with the willingness to see an essential and universal nugget of truth that might be waiting to be excavated.

What I’d like to do is walk with you through my latest stab at a systematic, or constructive, theology. I’m thinking one to three paragraphs per post. Then we can use Substack’s new-ish chat feature rather than the comment section to interact, and that will allow us to discuss topics in threads rather than be limited to separate posts, if that makes sense.

I’m hoping you’ll share your questions, your thoughts, any aha moments. I’m hoping we can dig and learn and sort through some things together, and grow. (From time to time, I’ll include suggested readings, too, like other newsletters and articles and books that may be of interest.)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a Biblical scholar! I know some things about ways to look at scripture. I know some things about considering a text in its original language of Greek or Hebrew. I am not a Systematic Theologian, but I know some things about how to apply principles of interpretation.

NOTE: I will be putting these posts behind a paywall. I hope to engage with people who would really like to dig, and I’d prefer not to have drop-in trolls who tell me women can’t be pastors and also I’m going to hell because of my doubts and questions. (Paying subscribers will already have access. Become a paying subscriber if you’d like to join the conversation.)

Interested? Have questions? Please let me know! I’m excited to begin this journey with you!

(P.S. Free content continues - occasional essays and Dead Ringer chapters!)

Next post: Let’s Gooooo!