The ten o’clock Sunday morning worship service at the Community Bible Church draws near. The pendulum clock strikes out nine repetitive tones at precisely 9:00 A.M. It’s time to put on the coat, lock the house door, and begin the half hour road trip in the car to an old white, steepled church at the edge of a small town. Upon seeing it, this house of worship evokes mental images of formal-dressed people from back in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries entering its doors with Bibles in their hands or tucked under their arms. The small fenced-in cemetery at the rear of the church spurs visions of dark-clothed people gathered in a crude circle at a committal service, eyes cast downward, responding in unison to the preacher who, during the funeral service inside, probably voiced typical phrases (paraphrased) such as “dust to dust” as well as “temptation into sin” and “appearance before the judgment throne.”

As I remain seated in my car, I instantly return to the twenty-first century in my mind. It is the year 2015 and I have been invited by friends to go to this church with them this particular sunny, late-autumn day when frost has coated some of the fallen tree leaves. I have heard rumors that the congregation here has swung even more fundamentally and become strictly literal in their biblical interpretations in recent years, having even departed from their recognized denominational affiliation for fear of becoming too unbiblical in church practice. I wonder what the congregant gathering to worship God will be like today when I enter through the doors. My apprehension may be fueled by having come out of the closet, so to speak, as a Progressive Christian several years ago — now seeing more of the “truth” embodied in the Bible’s symbolism and metaphor, looking at the historical context of the words used to paint descriptions of ancient peoples’ experiences of attempting to know God and Jesus of Nazareth, employing more rational thought versus accepting magic in hearing about or reading the stories recorded in the canonical Holy Bible, etc.

An irritating and persistent buzzing eventually captures my full attention and I realize that my alarm clock is going off and that it is 7:00 A.M. I am not about to enter a country-area church today to meet friends and share in a very conservative and traditional Sunday morning worship service there. But I do remember needing to meet several friends in a larger city church of assembled “born-again,” conservative, fundamental, “saved,” and Bible-breathing literalist members today. I wonder just how many of the people there will be not all that indoctrinated — like me — who pretty much go through the motions of the church service but not agreeing with all of what is professed in the service! As I ready myself for church, my apprehension mounts, but this time it is no dream!

I get to the service, greet the friends who have invited me, and talk with others before and after the worship. Most important of all, I participate respectfully even though semi-enthusiastically. Was it as conservative and biblically literal as I thought it would be? Yes, it was. Reference was made to a literal six-day creation, a historical Adam and Eve, a tempting serpent, the devil, a virgin-birth, Jesus on a triangular plane with the Father and the Holy Spirit seen as “persons” in a conceptualization known as The Trinity, a multitude of miracles, a physical rising of Jesus and humankind “in the air,” a divine judgment with a dichotomous choice of either to heaven or to hell (which had already been decided based on what was written into the Book Of Life!), a glorified Jerusalem here on Earth, and other mentionings of absolute certainty, provided you are a true and literal believer. It was a sermon or message that pulled all of these things together as if it were a Biblical Fundamentalism 101 course!

I know that I am not the only Christian espousing progressive convictions who has been in a worship gathering of strict fundamentalists and survived the experience! When in such a situation, I tend to think about and try to stay mindful of some realizations as a means of coping:

 These people are generally sincere in a good way but firm in what they believe and are not usually amenable to religious persuasion. Avoid any idea of getting involved in an argument with them when the opportunity arises to talk about more “liberal” ways of interpreting the Bible as a human-written work of people wanting to know God.
 
 You acknowledge being aligned with a somewhat broad group of people known as Progressive Christians whose adherents tend to avoid an ultra-literal biblical interpretation. Tell yourself that, though you strive to take a more informed and scholarly stance on how to read the Bible (which seems rational to you), fundamentalists are not to be necessarily faulted for what they believe.
 
 Look back to how your own spirituality and religious affiliation has, perhaps, changed and hopefully grown/progressed for the better over your life thus far. Think back to when you may have incorporated some of the typical fundamental beliefs into the fabric of your own spiritual make-up.
Cultivate an awareness of — though you may audibly voice some fundamental-sounding words in a conservative religious service — actually paying homage to predecessors (probably your ancestors) who were committed to making conscious contact with God and who used many of these same words!
 
 Keep historical context in mind when it comes to biblical interpretation that may form the basis of the content of a contemporary religious service. Reflect back to early Christianity when, during the first centuries, belief statements and affirmations were laid in place that the tide of human history thereafter retained, by and large. Be aware of current scientific thought and knowledge which our ancestors did not engage in or possess.
 
 Adopt the attitude of God “speaking” to all of us in many different ways. Tell yourself that God — whether viewed in an anthropomorphic, panentheistic or other way — knows what is in your heart in spite of what our mouths may utter (should you find yourself repeating fundamental-sounding words that raise the hairs on the back of your neck).
 
 Keep in mind that your presence at the service can be intended and taken as an act of love toward those you know there and all of those gathered around you. Irrespective of differences that may exist in conceptualizing/defining/experiencing God, you are all there to make conscious contact with our Creator God and share in the glory and joy of that moment.

Written by Randall Wehler