Atheists and agnostics, apatheists and “nones,” the spiritual-but-not religious and…Christian atheists?! How do we make sense of the dizzying complexity of non-religious options out there these days? For that matter, what do we do with the doubts we have and the skepticism we sometimes feel toward organized religion? Simply defined, atheism is a lack of belief in the existence of God or gods. But there’s way more to it than that. In this session, we’ll explore where atheism came from in the first place, understand the different forms of nonbelief, and wrestle with why so many people choose to be non-religious. Along the way, we’ll tackle tough questions about life, death, and the ultimate meaning of all things.
Bio: Ken Chitwood is a religion nerd. Growing up Lutheran in Los Angeles, he always had questions for his friends and family who were Buddhist and atheist, Muslim and Hindu, spiritual-but-not-religious and somewhere in between. Now, he gets to ask those questions for a living! Ken is a researcher, journalist, and pastor, who explores the depth and breadth of religious practice with a particular focus on global Islam, American religion, worldwide Christianity, and Christian-Muslim relations. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, The Houston Chronicle, The Guardian, and the Times of India. He lives in Germany with his wife Paula.
Youth and adult sessions recorded at the 2022 LCMS Youth Gathering in Houston, Texas. For more information about the Gathering, visit www.lcmsgathering.com.
