I used to have a blog called "The Skeptical Priest." It's true that there's a side of me that's skeptical. I am quickly bored by easy answers and false piety; a lot of theology seems self-serving to me. I love conversations with people who have honest, challenging questions about faith; I believe in "Living the Questions" and in the truth of existential authenticity.
But I'm also a priest and it's not because I'm skeptical. It's my faith (strengthened by questions) that led me to dedicate my life to God; it's my faith that has carried me through pain and into joy. My faith is informed by skepticism, but it leads me to hope -- and hope is in short supply these days.
So I'm changing my blog to "The Hopeful Priest." I hope that we'll continue to find this a place for honest conversation, deep questions, and, in the end, a stronger and more engaged faith for all of us.
1 comment:
I liked the "skeptical." It had a nice cutting edge to it, and it was a real attention-getter. It begged the question, "How the h--- can a priest be skeptical? A priest is supposed to KNOW there is a god and all (or most) of the other things that go along with having a god, for god's sake. It puts the priest on my level and makes him or her much more approachable much more human and, well, like me (sic): skeptical too. Yes, I can do skeptical; I can relate to skeptical. Perhaps I could actually take this guy to my favorite pub and sit down with our favorite brewski and have a really good chin wag and explore all sorts of good stuff. Yes. "Skeptical" says "Yes" to me when used with "priest."
On the other hand...
"Hopeful" is so much more grown up. Far fewer rough edges and way less scary. It is a much smoother ride and seems a lot more mature and has almost a mystique of safeness and trustworthyness. And more happiness and peacefulness seems implied. It's in good company too; goes along with faith and charity. What could be better?
I think you have pulled off a jolly good improvement in your public identity. Congratulations and hip, hip, hooray.
But can we still go have that beer sometime?
Peter
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