10 Ways “Nones” Are Like Episcopalians

In a lighter vein, today we offer our readers a article sent to us by the Rev. Robert Cornner,
a retired Episcopal priest with an encouraging presence and a dry sense of humor,
speaks to any “Nones” that happen to read this article
about 
10 ways they might just be Episcopalians, based on their beliefs.


Dear Nones,

According to a recent Pew Research survey, you have a number of distinctive views on God and religion. Yet they seem very familiar to me. Perhaps the pollsters have got it wrong. Perhaps you are not truly Nones but Episcopalians. Based on your views as described in the Pew study, I offer these 10 Ways You Might Just Be Episcopalians:

1. If you believe science is a reliable source of information regarding evolution, you might just be an Episcopalian.

2. If you think education that includes the liberal arts and sciences is a good thing, you might just be an Episcopalian.

3. If you are willing to look at the ways you fail to live into the ways Jesus taught and lived and repent and seek to change your ways, you might just be an Episcopalian.

4. If you are able to see how religion has contributed to injustice and has been enabled social justice to overcome injustice, you might just be an Episcopalian.

5. If you think that reason and rational thought are critical to faith, you might just be an Episcopalian.

6. If you understand that as valuable as science is to our lives, it is limited to the observable creation and to the rigors of scientific experimentation and methodology, you might just be an Episcopalian.

7. If your beliefs about God, life, yourself, others, and how things work is open to change due to your admission of your limits as a human being, you might just be an Episcopalian.

8. If you understand that most of your beliefs and desires have been transmitted to you through your DNA, your family, and culture and are willing to challenge those inherited beliefs and desires, you might just be an Episcopalian.

9. If you see religion scapegoating others to achieve unity over against others and seek unity that includes everyone, you might just be an Episcopalian.

10. If you are willing to admit that all human institutions and people, including the church, have a mixed record of conforming to its highest ideals, you might just be an Episcopalian.

God’s blessings,
Bob+
The Rev. Robert Cornner

 

Robert Cornner

The Rev. Robert “Bob” Cornner is a happily-retired Episcopal priest who lives in Redondo Beach, California. He is also a friend of The FaithX Project’s founder and an occasional contributor to this blog. Follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/rwcornner