Well, do you know one? My regular ministry opportunities allow me to bump into Christian Atheists all the time. In fact, I received a note not too long ago that had this admission in it . . . “I do believe in god and always have. My life may not reflect it but i do believe.” I can’t begin to count the times I have heard that phrase in one form or another. One of the best stories of Christian atheism that I can remember came from a friend of mine back about 20 years ago. Kevin was in a Christian home and went to a Baptist church every Sunday. He knew quite a bit of the Bible and his theological positions were conservative. Kevin would tell you he believed in God, however, during the week, his activities would never give you a clue. The turning point for him was on a day when he was out partying with his friends. He remembered being in front of a store when a man came up to him and handed him a Bible tract and said, “please take a moment to read this, it will introduce you to God.” Kevin didn’t have the heart to tell the man that he had been in church his whole life and probably knew more about God that the guy giving him the tract. His Christian atheism was exposed.
Not all Christian Atheism is that obvious. And when we start walking through this book together, I think we’ll begin to see that some expressions of it is subtle and even accepted in the church today. I also have the notion that as we read the chapters, we may even pick up on some ways that we live as though God doesn’t exist.
God, shine your examining light on our hearts to reveal to us any possible way that our “beliefs” don’t line up with our life activities. “See if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” – amen