heritic

I was a Deputy to General Convention three times--Columbus, Anaheim and Minneapolis. I would have to google it to tell you in what order. It was I think: 2003, 2006 and 2009.

I was in the hallway at Minneapolis when I saw one of my bishops, Jim Curry, coming out of the display room--where you could buy anything you'd probably never want about the Episcopal Church.

Jim saw me and came running over. "I've got you something--just for you!" He handed me a small red button you can attach with a wire to your coat.

On it was one word: HERETIC.

I still have it and wear it from time to time. Bless Bishop Curry!

I probably am a heretic since I either don't believe or could care less about a lot of Christian Doctrine and Dogma.

I'm just not interested in 'believing'. I'm interesting in having "faith"--pistos in Greek--which could just as easily be translated as "trust".

I 'trust' in the Almighty Power. I don't 'believe' much of anything.

So people figure that out and give me stuff to read.

I guess they're trying to 'save' me. I'm not sure.

The latest is a book called Proof  of Heaven by Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon who was in a coma and journeyed into the 'afterlife'.

I'll dutifully read it and thank the woman who loaned it to me.

But if someone jumped out from behind a tree on a dark street and yelled, "do you believe in heaven?" I'd answer, "I don't know."

I know the Almighty Power I trust in would never have a hell. That Power is Love, pure and simple and punishing people for eternity would never occur to him/her/it.

So: "heaven"?

Who knows? Not me.

But I trust and will go into that good night with faith.

Enough for me.