Recently I spoke with someone who told me a fairly common story. She’d arrived in London having grown up in the church and confident of her faith in Christ. As she encountered the dominant culture of scepticism in her workplace and among friends, she started to question what she believed. She set about deconstructing her faith until she was left with a husk of what she had believed.
As I speak to Christians who are wrestling with questions and doubts, I’ve been fascinated to hear that so many of them have struggled to find a space to express these thoughts. As soon as they’ve started asking questions, their churches have made it clear that such questions are not welcome. Perhaps this comes from a fear that the Christian faith can’t stand much scrutiny. Or a concern that they’ll influence others. This feels counterintuitive to me. How can you find answers without questions? And surely the Christian faith is robust enough to withstand careful and reasoned examination?
When we created the Salt Course last summer, we were focused on secular Londoners who want to explore life’s big questions. That’s been great. We’ve had a good number of non-Christians do the course. Many have found it thought-provoking and stimulating. Some have even found faith in Christ.
However, I’ve also been intrigued by the number of Christians who’ve joined us, looking for a space to explore their doubts and questions. Each week we have a (free) meal, a short talk on a big question and then just under an hour for discussion in groups. We’ve tried to strike a balance between engaging with the biggest objections to the Christian faith and the major existential questions Londoners are grappling with. Here are the questions we'll be addressing :
Religion: Aren’t we better off without it?
Proof: Isn’t faith irrational?
Morality: Why do we even need God?
Satisfaction: How can I be happy?
Love: Where can I find it?
Hope: Is there a future for humanity?
I’d love to invite you to the Salt Course if you're asking significant questions about your faith. And of course, do have a think about non-Christian friends and colleagues who might be open to exploring their questions with us too. It starts on Wed 12 February 2020. You can find out more and sign-up here.