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| Jeff the Baptist | |
| "Jeff the
Baptist" lives with his Muse, Manya, in the great Pacific Northwest, land of cedar
and salmon. A seminary student at Seattle University, Jeff aspires to be a minister, a
calling that "follows the rich religious vein running through the generations of my
mother's family" he notes. If there has been one common theme in his life, it has been the pursuit of an understanding of our relationship to God. As he grappled with the Christian explanations offered to him throughout his Midwestern childhood, as he studied and experienced religious thought while living in Asia, and as he re-embraces Christianity in a deeper, more inquisitive way, that pursuit of an understanding has been his constant companion. He explains, "The medieval thinker Abelard once wrote, 'By doubting we come to inquiry; and through inquiry we perceive truth.' I believe that is very true. In fact, I would add that, only through doubting and inquiry do we come to real faith." Thus, an anger with religious leaders that penalize those who question traditional beliefs made him turn to writing. "The worst of all possible hells, to me, is isolation, not only from one another, but from God. Loneliness kills in this world where there need be no loneliness. And I am tired of those voices of tradition at the microphone that spread more alienation. They drive the rest of us further from God." Jeff's hope is that his columns will help inspire readers to work toward reclaiming a relationship with the Divine. "We need more voices that challenge, that doubt, and that inquire. If I can be one of those voices, if I can be one of those that fight the loneliness, then I will feel that I have achieved something."
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Jeff the Baptist can reached at: |
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| Selected
Work in TREND Remembering Those Who Have Gone Before Us (vol. 1, #7) Bitter Tears (vol. 1, #6)
Accepting Without Adopting (vol. 1, #5) Whose God Is It Anyway? (vol. 1, #4)
How Many Is Too Many? (vol. 1, #2)
Ho Ho Hum (vol.1, #1)
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