I have been surprised to find that some ex-evangelicals engage in secular versions of pursuits that characterize their former religions.
One guest discussed his theory of how we know what we know. Another, inspired by a secular humanist campus group, sought to establish a secular ministry of sorts for isolated and lonely people.
Though it is hard to put myself in the shoes of someone who has left a high-control conservative religion, when I think about what I would appreciate the most I come up with two types of freedom. First, I would no longer be expected to embrace received knowledge about life’s important questions as the truth. For that matter, it would be perfectly acceptable for me to be agnostic about grand matters such as epistemology. Secondly, I would no longer be accountable to, or dependent upon, a leader who professes to be acting in my best interests and wants to include me among his followers.
I hope those guests and others like them are careful not to perpetuate the harmful aspects of theology, preaching and pastoring as they go about finding their way in the secular world.
