Spineless Church story of the week

Courtesy of the magazine Touchstone:

Church authorities have decided not to take disciplinary action against a self-identified atheist pastor, Klaas Henrikse, of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands. The church authorities published their decision not to challenge him or remove him from the position of pastor in a letter to their congregations.

Disciplinary action, they wrote, would likely lead to "a protracted discussion about the meanings of words that in the end will produce little clarity."

(Think about that sentence for a while.)

The letter noted that people have always debated the existence of God.

Joe's take: Who needs a discussion of the meaning of words? Don't we all know what "atheist" means? But if we're really so confused that we don't know what the word "atheist" means, how is there MORE clarity by avoiding a conversation about what words mean? Isn't the essence of clarity in a shared understanding of what words mean? And by the way, is an atheist really "debating" the existence of God? Because it seems to me an atheist isn't someone in a questioning mode at all, but someone who has decided.

I can't say I've ever read anything so confused and castrated before. Sometimes, I admit, I don't even know where to begin when I'm imagining a conversation with someone who thinks an atheist has as much right and reason to be a Christian clergyman as a theist. I feel almost incapable of responding to that view.

and apparantly appeasement rears its ugly head once again.

Not just castration but, an act of self-castration.

In an age where the burning question of "it depends on what your definition of "is" is", it is all about being abiguous enough to avoid confrontation. Although, when you stand for something, confrontation is inevitable.

Yes, saying you are an atheist is a declaration of non-belief. So, if you were an honest atheist, why would you put your self in a position to guide theists? You wouldn't, unless there is malevolent intent.

that the clergyman is spineless. II can't underestand that clergypeople sometimes go through periods where their faith is in question and they are in pain, but if you define youself as an "atheist" for a extended period of time than show some guts and get out of the ministry. There is another minister in the Anglican communion who said the same thing. He is a retired Bishop. I went on one religious site years ago where there were mostly evangelical or militant atheists including an atheist clergyperson who was complaining about how terrible religion and the church are. I wanted to ask "Have you tried pastoral counselling? Do you have any accountability groups? Have you been checked for depression? Are you burnt out?" but I knew that I wouldn't hear the end of it so I didn't bother. Then again, it could have been a troll saying they were a clergyman simply for effect. I feel sympathy for people who are burnt out and/or suffering from depression, but get some help. You are being inauthentic to be a pastor of a church and take a salary and not believe its tenets, much less not believe in God.

It also shows very strongly, to me, once again how negatively clergypeople can be influenced by the spirit of the age-which could be the forces of evil and Satan and/or the age that rejects a belief in God. Turn off the T.V., ask people who you know will do it to pray for you, read devotional things that inspired you in the first place, meet with Christian (real Christian) friends regularly, go to a healing service at a reputable church. People often get into trouble because they are lone wolves. Christianity is not meant to be a one person faith.

This is a very sad and upsetting.

that, stihl, but that's a good point, there could be a it-there could be malevolent intent there.

I would recommend that the Christians here pray for clergy and not just for the clergy in your own denomination. Your prayers are appreciated. In this age, it is not easy to be a clergyperson-the stresses are many.

if anyone here knows clergy fairly well and thinks they could benefit, I recommend this group. It is called "Smoldering Wick Ministries" and they deal with clergy burn out and stress. They are Protestants. (I am not familar with resources for RC priests. If someone is, perhaps they could post it) but I think some of the same issues about clergy burn out would be relevant whether one is a Protestant or Catholic clergyperson.
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