I’ve been thinking about atheists lately.  Last week I heard a story about the “Sunday Assembly,” a sort of atheist church, read a story about a schism in that same church and had a conversation that reminded me that once-rare atheists are now common, especially among young people. Some have suggested that for many teens, it’s even cool to be an atheist.

While I was thinking about all this, Pr. Delmer Chilton sent me this blog piece from his “other bishop,” Porter Taylor of the Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina.  I share it with you with Bp. Taylor’s permission.

Epiphany blessing,

Yesterday on NPR's Morning Edition I heard a story about "Sunday Assembly," a "church for people who don't believe in God." People gather, they meditate, listen to inspirational stories, sing, and hear a live band performing rock songs or inspirational music.

One person explained we "want to live better, help often, and wonder more." Another person explained that the participants "miss the community. They miss the music. They miss the multi-generations coming together with people you might not otherwise be hanging out with. But they don't want to go to a place where they have to keep their intellect on hold."

When I read this, I first felt defensive about The Church. But then I realized, there is a God hunger in everyone. As human beings we are made in the image of God, and, therefore, hard-wired to connect with our Maker. People can get angry with the Church; people can have bad experiences with clergy; people can feel as if the ecclesial bureaucracy is outdated and ineffective. They can hate the rules; they can think worship is stiff or superficial. But the God hunger doesn't go away; it just gets redirected.

Our challenges as the Church, therefore, are to be as broad as we can without losing our core identity, or as we say in our diocesan mission statement: to Widen the Walls by Walking in the Way. So long as we remember Home Base -- those non-negotiable essentials: bread/wine, prayers, our core Scriptural story -- then we can respond to the times and welcome those who have wandered away. This is the task before us.

The NPR reporter said that the New York chapter of the Sunday Assembly "has already split over how much to emphasize atheism." People long for community, but I don't know how you have Church or an Assembly or anything that lasts without the Lord. I don't go to Church for the music or to talk to other people or for inspirational stories. I go because it's the only place that I can eat the bread of heaven and drink from the cup of salvation. It's where I remember that the Way and the Truth and the Life are bigger than me. It's home.

So let us recall that God is working God's purpose out. People will come and go but the God hunger stays, and, therefore, our task is to proclaim the Good News by word and example, do the best we can to make Church alive, welcome everyone, and not worry too much because the God hunger is hard wired in everyone.

--The Right Rev. Porter Taylor, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina