Why I have no faith in religion (article reproduced)

The following article appeared in June's edition of Community News, a great little magazine which goes out to our town and surrounding areas. As I am aware that a large number are out of the circulation area, here it is again...

As the pastor of Stour Valley Vineyard Church, I have a confession: I have no faith in religion. There, said it. However, I think faith is great and a lot of us are pretty good at it. You might be thinking, “isn’t that being semantic? Aren’t religion and faith the same?”

Nope!  But stick with me and I’ll try and explain.  Faith leads to hope, it helps us to live life. Faith overcomes fear. Faith is also the dividing line between us and other species.

And contrary to opinion, faith is not the property of the Church.  Everyone has faith of some sort. Faith the sun will rise; faith that if we drop an egg it will break because of Newton’s gravity; faith in other people’s advice. In short, faith is critical to life. Without it we would do nothing.

And then there is religious faith.

There is the religion of large corporations like IBM and Google and Apple. There is the religion of sport, the religion of music. Each one draws its own set of followers and requires it adheres to its set of spoken or unspoken rules.

This is why we humans invented religion: to give our faith a system to belong, grow and develop. Religion is a like a mantra that tells us that belief is okay, it will help to get us there.

I once played, by invitation, at a rather posh golf club. At one point during play my gamesmanship was called into question. Later as I left the clubhouse a member thrust a weighty rule book into my hand. I was embarrassed and humiliated to say the least. This is the problem with religion, when you don’t play by its rules it wants to correct you, whether you want it or not.  At this point you accept or reject it. I never played there again.

The problem is that religion is a hindrance for many of us; it doesn’t support our faith, merely props up the status quo.  At worse, it judges, divides and subdues us.

Now, even by me writing these things I suspect some might feel threatened. Not by the implied criticism of some long held rituals and methodology, but because it probably feels like criticism of personal faith.  Please don’t. That’s not my intention. Faith is a gift from God.

I love my own faith because of what it stands for.  I guess I wouldn’t be a pastor if I didn’t!  But I understand that not all people share my enthusiasm. This is maybe because for them being a Christian is another word for being ‘religious’ and therefore is a barrier. It would be for me.  Yet if we lose the institutional aspects of church life maybe we might find at its core something that is personal, practical and real. Something that Jesus, perhaps, meant it to be.

The truth is I don’t want people to love religion or become ‘church goers’.  Pretty sure God doesn’t either.  I simply want people to have the chance to know God personally through his son Jesus –without all the nonsense.

I am told that well over 50% of the population believe in God.  Along with other churches in our area we’d like to help turn that belief into a personal faith.  Faith that gives hope and healing.

Maybe at some stage Emma and I might see you at a service at the Town Hall, Sudbury (usually 2^nd & 4^th Sundays of the month). Whatever, you’ll be welcome to come just as you are.

We’re a normal bunch of informal, all embracing, non-critical, non-religious people.  And I promise not to put a ‘rule book’ in your hand as you leave.

Have a blessed weekend and Father's Day.

ASD