or, let’s explore my faith

Ride to Date Scorecard:

Day: T-3 (launch date is May 23)
Location: Capitola California
Today’s Mileage: 0
Total Mileage: 0
Today’s Ascent: 0 feet
Today’s Time on the Bike: 0 hours
Total Time on the Bike: 0 hours

My Mom was diligent in seeing to our religious experience. She, a Methodist with influences in Christian Science, and my Dad, an atheist, I suppose, from German-Jewish parents who raised him as a Presbyterian. Both in some ways leaning Christian and Protestant.

We participated in youth groups and choir but proudly said we were on the “ski now, worship later” plan of relaxed Methodism.

After attending a Methodist college and continuing to sing in the choir, I married a Catholic woman and converted, horrifying my mom!

The impact of her jarring protestations and despair (silly me, I didn’t know why she was opposed, although I told her after the conversion) caused me to understand her fear! Fear! I was still Christian! How could this be a big deal?

After divorce and dismissal from Catholicism, we were Methodists. It was important to Anne’s mom, and we felt it provided the kids with a positive influence.

Conclusion: Confusion

This ride allows me to re-examine the remaining elements of my faith and, I suspect, an opportunity to experience, study, and hopefully understand just what I stand for in my Christianity! Perhaps I will also learn about religious rights, the evangelical community, and (as politics seems to be intertwined) conservative Christianity.

I was told of a book I’m digesting, “The Kingdom, the Power, and The Glory, Evangelicalism: an Age of Extremism” by Tim Alberta. I’m doing some required reading, but traveling across the country with a group of practicing Christians will allow me to go deep and understand what seems to be dividing Protestantism generally and Christianity particularly. I hope to provide some insight into this topic as I go from church to church, building homes for the unhoused through the heartland of our country.

“I hope to understand as much as to be understood” paraphrased from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and “The Beatitudes”, aka Jesus’ sermon on the mount! Thanks for following along!