Atheists. Would you consider a career as an atheist preacher in a protestant church?

An atheist preacher has been allowed to stay in office by the Protestant Church of the Netherlands.

An atheist preacher has been allowed to stay in office by the Protestant Church of the Netherlands. The regional church assembly in the southwestern town of Zierikzee decided that preacher Klaas Hendrikse’s views do not fundamentally differ from those of other liberal theologians in the Protestant Church.

A clerical court case against Mr Hendrikse has been suspended.

Mr Hendrikse was subjected to an inquiry following the publicaton of his book, Believing in a God who does not exist. In it, Mr Hendrikse explains that he does not believe in a personal God, or in his words, “To me God is not a being, but a word for what can occur between people.”

He has since been loosely referred to as “the atheist preacher”, although he has not declared himself a total non-believer.
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/24083/dutch-protestant-church-retains-atheist-preacher-klaas-hendrikse

If this provides employment opportunities then how many protestant churches in the US would consider employing atheist pastors?

2nd rate Matt Lattanzi2010-02-15T08:12:11Z

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Given the absolute * abandonment * of the majority of Christian tenets in Scandinavian countries, I actually agree with you for once.

In the cases of most of these churches, it's simply a feel-good social hour, containing very little solid doctrine. Given that, an atheist could easily perform the job of filling the reduced needs of those attending.

Frank2010-02-15T08:17:18Z

"If this provides employment opportunities then how many protestant churches in the US would consider employing atheist pastors?"

None - I would hope.

This is obtaining a job under false pretences and the person should lose the job, however, in the politically correct society in which many of us now live this sort of thing will probably increase.

We will soon be living in stupid situations where a boss will not be able to fire the new 'driver' he just hired when he finds out that the person cannot drive, or the 'typist' who cannot type etc.

The world has gone mad.

James O2010-02-15T08:17:26Z

Unitarian Universalism has had openly atheistic preachers for years.

Atheists have no business preaching in the pulpits of Trinitarian Churches, even liberal Protestant ones that have been loosing their theological foundations for scores of years. for such would be opportunistic hypocrisy

Preachers should believe and practice what they preach

jpopelish2010-02-15T08:17:06Z

I wouldn't consider it, unless it were the only way for me to make a living. I'm the electrical engineer (Dilbert) type. But I have heard of quite a few atheist ministers and priests. They may not be nearly as unusual as you might think.

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Regards,

John Popelish

Anonymous2010-02-15T09:05:11Z

Not such a crazy idea since most atheists would welcome christians rediscovering the idea of a loving god and acting like it!!

Who cares that there is no god just so long as we an get them to reject their current terrible human emotions of intolerance, hatred, bigotry and the love of prosecuting and start behaving more humanely?!!

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