Since first inviting my congregation, and then the wider church, to step into a place of integrity with respect to the sharing contemporary, critical scholarship with those in the pews, I’ve been the focus of media attention. The first article about the launch of the Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity appeared on the front page of the Toronto Star in November, 2004. It was followed by an article in The United Church Observer in February, 2005, which triggered a year of letters to the editor. Clearly, the conversation had hit a nerve.
Over a decade later, and fifteen years after beginning we began a process of shift at West Hill United, the United Church decided to review my effectiveness as a minister. To do so, they created a new process, outlined in a ruling by the General Secretary of the UCC. This ruling ties clergy effectiveness to theological orthodoxy. It allows clergy to be examined apart from their relationship with their congregation and at the instigation of voices that may have no relationship to their ministry or the United Church. It also allows for clergy ordained within one conference and settled in another to be reviewed with the intent of ensuring their theological perspectives align with those of the conference in which they serve. It’s a big step backward, IMHO.
The review, however, has caused another wave of media attention and that has been a very good thing, even when it has been personally upsetting. The most revealing parts of the discussion have happened on social media where my colleagues not infrequently note that while they don’t believe in a supernatural, interventionist being called God, their use of the word “god” to allude to whatever it is they do believe in merits a UCC imprimatur, whereas my use of the term “atheist” to describe the same beliefs merits removal from ordered ministry. It’s been interesting, to say the least.
Here are some of the media articles that have appeared since the controversy unfolded. The first oldest is an article by Eric Andrew-Gee in which he inaccurately quotes me as saying “I don’t think Jesus was.” In fact, I don’t know that Jesus was, a tiny difference with, unfortunately, huge ramifications. I don’t blame Eric at all; I don’t think he could possibly have understood the implications of that tiny difference. I do think my colleagues might have sought clarification, however; I am absolutely accessible to anyone who ever wants to ask a question of me. One colleague argued on Facebook that if I am going to be in the press, I have to be accountable for what the press says. That could be a bit of a challenge; I don’t think I could count the number of times I’ve been misrepresented in the press, often by people who, unlike my colleagues, do not understand the nuances of theological belief within The United Church of Canada.
Enjoy the breadth of perspective and share them as widely as you feel moved to; the more people know about religion – yours, mine, ours, theirs – the better. [Tweet “It’s critical that we build a world beyond the beliefs that divide.”] It’s critical that we built a world beyond the beliefs that divide and conversation is the best way to get that work underway.
Atheist Minister praises the glory of good at Scarborough church, Eric Andrew-Gee, The Toronto Star, March 16, 2015
Audio: Atheist preacher at United Church, Andy Oudman, News/Talk 1290, March 19, 2015
Confronting the Unbelievers, Mike Milne, The United Church Observer, May 2015
How do you solve a problem like Gretta Vosper, Douglas Todd, The Vancouver Sun, July 5, 2015
Gretta Vosper: Canadian Pastor, Out Atheist, Everyone’s Agnostic Podcast with Cass Midgely, Episode 67
Atheist Minister Fighting United Church’s Effort to Fire Her, Colin Perkel, Canadian Press, The Globe and Mail, August 5, 2015
Video: Atheist Minister Fighting for Her Job, Colin Perkel, Canadian Press, August 6, 2015
Why I Support This “Atheist” Minister, Junaid Jahangir, The Huffington Post, August 15, 2015
Audio: Interview with Gretta Vosper, Ryan Bell, Life After God Podcast, August 31, 2015
Gretta Vosper: Atheist Minister under Fire, Seth Andrews, The Thinking Atheist, September 8, 2015
Q&A, Gretta Vosper, the United Church minister who doesn’t believe in God, Malcolm Johnston, Toronto Life, December, 2015.
Audio: Atheist Minister Fights to Keep Her Place in the United Church, Gord Westmacott, The Current, CBC Radio, January 11, 2016
Video: Meet the ordained minister who doesn’t really believe in God, CTV News, Kendra Mangione; CanadaAM video with Beverly Thomson, January 13, 2016
Meet the United Church Minister Who Came Out as an Atheist, Amy Dempsey, The Toronto Star, February 21, 2016
A Minister’s Lack of Faith Comes under Fire, Becky Garrison, The Humanist, February, 2016
Can an Atheist Be a United Church Minister?, Wendy Mesley, The National, CBC, March, 2016