Ottawa, Canada - Controversy-laden Canadian pastor Gretta Vosper’s Christ-less Christian theology—in vogue now after the release of her new book espousing it—has met with endless mockery, but not everyone is convinced it’s a trivial matter serious believers should dismiss like a “freakshow,” as Beliefnet’s Rod Dreher calls it.
“Protestantism evolves with every generation,” laments one concerned blogger, Jesse Cone, an Orthodox. “It has already begun to morph into more subtle forms of this monstrosity. This in turn has left thoughtful Protestants with a choice—and it was this pushed me towards Orthodoxy—do I succumb to ‘popular monotheism’ or find a tradition that is stable? Is it about community or Christ?”
Vosper’s Christianity, after all, only differs from Moralistic Therapeutic Deism in terminology—meaning it’s a sort of next step (the final step?) in a progression to build up a church without “a god,” Jesus, any traditions or catechism or moral absolutes. It’s already common among American youth; 61 percent of respondents to this 2007 LifeWay Research survey said the God of the Bible is “no different from the gods or spiritual beings” of other world religions.
In an interview with Canada’s National Post, David Giuliano, who heads up Vosper’s United Church of Canada, considered Canada’s most liberal mainline denomination, said if he were her, he would’ve left the ministry. Predictably, though, he told the paper “it is not his job to condemn,” adding the church “is structured in such a way that complaints have to come from the congregation.” So far, no congregant has complained. (Giuliano did make sure the Post understood he thought the word “Christian”—one that “carries the baggage of colonialism and other ills”—should “probably be phased out” in favor of “Follower of the Way” or “Follower of Jesus.”)
Defending her pro-church stance, Vosper says sticking with one “is extremely important because it can be a transformative element in individuals’ lives and communities”—a role nonspecific to Christianity, played by every religion, including the Church of Oprah, the satirical term for the religious mishmash Oprah embraced after leaving Trinity United Church of Christ (yes, that Trinity) more than two decades ago.
In Vosper’s With or Without God, which was “officially launched” this week, she dismisses Jesus as a “Middle Eastern peasant with a few charismatic gifts and a great posthumous marketing team.” Vosper likewise puts zero stock in the Virgin Birth, the necessity of sacraments or creeds, the veracity of any of the miracles or—the coup de grace—that Jesus was the Son of God.
Vosper pastors West Hill United Church (Web address: simply coolplace.ca). Its tagline: “A place to find yourself.” Short of “Being the Spirit,” the church refuses to say what it believes in for fear of alienating someone. “Jesus Christ” is excised from hymns and replaced with “glorious hope.” In fact, nothing “Christian” seems to remain at all. “There is no single meaning for the word god,” Vosper writes at her blog. “In other words, what do you mean when you ask me if I believe in god? Without knowing what you mean by that word, I simply can’t answer you.”
New York ran a feature in April on the growing squabble among atheists over whether they need to bond communally in order to have the strength and clout of a “church.” Vosper’s gospel must indeed be good news to them.