theophiliacs

In May 2008 I graduated from a conservative Bible College with a Pastoral Studies B.A. Between then and Christmas I visited: 17 Churches in 14 Traditions:

Catholic, Episcopal, Anglican (more on why I separate these later), Eastern Orthodox, ELCA, LCMS, Swedenborgian, Presbyterian, UCC, MCC, Baptist, Nondenominational, Pentecostal and Quaker.

(Along the way, I looked into four seminaries: Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist and Anglo-Catholic Episcopal, plus a Catholic Grad School.)

I wasn’t church shopping, I was exploring. I’d attended the same church for my entire life. I’d volunteered with the youth group, preached, taught classes, led small groups, sang solos, acted in dramas, interned in the office and done everything else one does while growing up Christian in suburban America (I was baptized in there somewhere too). I joined the kids puppet team when I was eight-years-old and since then I’d never experienced church without somehow also activily participating in its programming.

I didn’t regret growing up this way (on the contrary I’m very thankful) but I was ready to experience different expressions of Christian faith–and to experience them as a visitor first, and eventually as a parishioner.

These posts will be a collection of thoughts on the last twelve months–what has been the most influential year of my life. Along with visiting churches, I moved to a small studio apartment downtown St. Paul, wrote a novel and spent time with new people.

I thought about God a lot too, and my place in His Church.