David Rhodes Continues on page 25 Worldviews Navigator “Sea of Faith? What’s that all about then?” “So, on our website we say that we ‘explore and promote religion and worldviews as valuable human creations’. That’s a fair summary.” “Oh, I see. Bunch of atheists then.” “Well, some of our members are convinced atheists, that’s true, but I think more of us just leave the question of God’s existence to one side. And I think that a lot of our members actually do believe in a sort of ‘God’ – just not the ‘God’ of traditional expectations. Not a ‘real’ God who gets directly involved in human affairs. And probably not a God who lives, suffers and dies as a human being. Or one that literally rises again from the dead. More like God as the sum of our values.” “Like I say, a bunch of atheists.” I don’t know if you’ve ever had this sort of conversation.
Most of the people I meet are too polite – or anxious not to offend – to level such criticism at our network. But something like the view of this non-sympathiser with the Sea of Faith is most likely behind that fact that our Regional SOF group in Wessex has been turfed out of a couple of Christian meeting places in recent years.
Clearly ‘non-realism’ when it comes to our theology is still unacceptable to the traditional ‘believer.’ We are, at the very least, not everybody’s cup of tea.
And that is fine. It would be a strange, if comforting, world where everyone gave up traditional religious belief and practice and joined the Sea of Faith Network. There would be nothing left to do, so everyone would immediately have to resign.
The other reaction to the Network’s purpose in exploring religious faith as a human creation was expressed by a young relative of Dinah Livingstone, formerly of this parish, who said, “Of course, what else would it be?” Sadly perhaps, what might seem obvious to some young people, is not at all part of the worldview of the committed religious realist. Of which there are still very, very many.
In fact, contrary to popular belief, there are many non-religious worldviews whose leaders are held in such high regard they might as well be gods. I don’t need to list them, I think. But I would like to mention the importance of the Network’s role in pointing this out. In many ways it’s perfectly understandable that people want the safety and security of certainties, or at least, the good old traditional ways, in matters of belief and lifestyle. But these certainties rely on drawing up barriers against that which is different, alien or unfamiliar. No doubt such rivalries are bound up with the survival instincts which got us this far.
So, it’s fine. Relax. While identity fundamentalism exists, there is still work for the Sea of Faith Network to do.
What, though, does the average, or typical SOF member look like? “We’re all individuals”, I hear you say. “I’m not”, says the Monty Python fan.
In order to answer this question, we need some evidence. And I’m extremely grateful to the 62 individuals who responded to our recent survey on membership of other organisations/networks. This enabled us to make a successful application to the Hibbert Trust for a grant to support our annual conference, enabling us to keep down the cost of the event for all who attended.
Here's a summary of the main findings from the SOF members’ survey; which I hope you will find make for interesting reading! 1. Religious and Non-religious Worldview Involvement:
Many individuals are members of religious organisations such as the Church of England, Quakers, Methodist Church, United Reform Church, Progressive Christian Network, Pagan Circle, Catholic Church and the Jewish Community, as well as non-religious organisations such as Humanists UK and ‘Free To Believe’. Activities include attending services, leading discussions, pastoral care, and participating in interfaith initiatives. 2. Community Engagement: Active participation in local community organisations, including civic societies, historical groups, refugee support, and community orchestras. Activities range from organising events, hosting seminars, and leading workshops to providing direct support to vulnerable groups. 3. Educational Contributions: Involvement in educational activities such as delivering lectures, leading workshops, writing publications, and organising discussion groups. Topics include history, philosophy, religion, and social issues. 4. Political and Advocacy Work: Membership in political parties (e.g., Labour Party, Green Party, Liberal Democrats) and advocacy groups (e.g., Amnesty International, Extinction Rebellion). Activities include campaigning, writing articles, and promoting social justice causes. 5. Arts and Cultural Activities: Engagement in arts-related activities such as music, choir participation, poetry writing, community art projects, and organising cultural events. 6. Support for Social Causes: Contributions to organisations focused on human rights, poverty alleviation, racial equality, and refugee resettlement. 7. Personal Development and Lifelong Learning: Participation in study groups, online courses, and workshops to continue personal growth and learning in areas such as philosophy, religion, and humanities. These themes highlight a strong focus on community, education, spirituality, advocacy, and personal enrichment.
I find this to be an extremely encouraging, if exhausting, picture of our membership, though perhaps it says as much about what we are NOT, as what we ARE.
By the way, I’m pleased to report that our Wessex Group has found a venue that is happy to host our meetings – the Friends’ Meeting House in Bradford on Avon.