An invitation to Atheism for Lent
It is, and is not, what you think
I have moved from Mailchimp to Substack. My substack, An Experimental Life, will be my communication tool. My work has two foci: fighting for an end to the Israeli occupation, and exploring a new way to be Christian.
This invitation addresses my second focus: a new way to be Christian. In 2018, I led a small group of friends, family, and seminarians in a lenten journey called Atheism for Lent. We met for about an hour, once a week, during the roughly six weeks of Lent. This lenten journey was directed by philosopher/theologian Peter Rollins, a unique and provocative contemporary thinker. Each year, Rollins puts together short readings/reflections for each day of Lent and then records a weekly lecture on those refelctions. The purpose of Atheism for Lent, in Rollins’ words, is to be exposed “to some of the great atheist critics of religion, in order to purge ourselves of a faith in which doubt is bad and God is used as a crutch to cope with the uncertainties and hardships of life. In the process, we hope to discover a richer faith in which our experiences of the absence of the presence of God are recognized and remembered.” This is an opportunity to wonder, to question, to doubt, and to confront your version of God, your version of yourself, and your version of reality. For me, it was a life-giving and life-altering experience. Perhaps it could be so for you as well.
I would like to lead two small groups of 6-8 participants through Atheism for Lent, which begins on March 2 and ends on April 14. In addition to the reflections and Rollins’ weekly lecture, we will meet once a week for about an hour. I would like one group to meet in person in the Holland/Grand Rapids area, if possible. The other group will use Zoom. If there is more interest, I will try to accommodate everyone who wants to take part.
This journey requires an open mind and an open heart. You must be willing to allow your assumptions and beliefs to be interrogated. You must let your guard down. This is not an exercise in preservation, but in deconstruction. For many (maybe all), this process of deconstructing one's faith and one's ego, and constructing a new way of being in the world is the best (maybe only) way to spiritual maturity and depth. It is painful and it is scary, but also liberating and joyful.
If you choose to participate in a group, you need to commit to the reflections and the weekly meetings. This is not something you dip your toes in. You must immerse yourself. Feel free to investigate Peter Rollins and Atheism for Lent here. I hope some of you will join me. You can email me at joshuamvis@gmail.com.
-Josh