Teresa MacBain

Teresa MacBain
Nationality United States
Occupation Former Minister
Known for The Clergy Project

Teresa MacBain is a former Methodist minister who came out as a nonbeliever in 2012.

Biography

MacBain was raised as a conservative Southern Baptist and she wanted to be a pastor like her father when she grew up.[1] MacBain recalls that she felt that God had called her to become a pastor at an early age but despite that continually found reasons to question her faith. Aspects of the Bible did not seem 'to add up' but MacBain tried to disregard those questions.[2] MacBain eventually became the pastor of Lake Jackson United Methodist Church in Florida.[3] As a pastor she wanted to change the world in Christian ways and save souls from what she believed was Hell.

Leaving Ministry

During her time as a pastor, MacBain often had problems about her faith. but overlooked her concerns. Later she considered her questions carefully initially believing this would strengthen her faith. As MacBain thought through her doubts she "found that religion had so many holes in it, [that she] couldn't believe it." .[1]

MacBain told the Christian Post that her process of becoming an atheist was gradual.[4] She states that she had no issues with the church structure or organization: her deconversion was "just theological."[4] She pointed to "the contradictory nature of the Bible; the lack of scientific or historical foundation or accuracy" as starting points to her questioning her faith.[4] MacBain cites contradictions in the Bible, also tough questions like, “Where was God when the hurricane hit killing so many innocent people?” and “How could God condemn someone to hell who has never even heard of him?” and “Would a loving God torment people for eternity?” A time came when MacBain could no longer ignore these types of questions.[2] One day MacBain realized she was an atheist, accepting the term atheist was hard for her but felt right.[1]

The Clergy Project

MacBain became one of the first pastors helped by The Clergy Project, a group for clergy without faith. She joined in 2011 under the pseudonym "Lynn."[5] MacBain felt less alone with the support of The Clergy Project.[1] but still could not easily escape her work. MacBain applied for alternative employment but could not easily explain why she wanted to leave the ministry. She became the Clergy Project's first female "graduate."[6]

Leaving the ministry

MacBain quit being a minister in 2012.[7] After coming to terms with the conclusion that she did not believe in God any longer, she felt that leaving her position as pastor was the right thing to do.[8] She "came out" publicly as an atheist at the 2012 American Atheists convention.[5] After she came out as an atheist, she says that while "an enormous number of Christians have threatened to physical harm to me. Many others have been kind in their response."[5] MacBain reported that she was also ostracized by friends and extended family, but that her husband and children were supportive.[4] American Atheists named her "Atheist of the Year" in 2012. However, she still lost her job and said that other "job interviews were cancelled" in her hometown of Tallahassee.[1] The Humanists of Florida Association helped by offering to pay her salary for a year.[1]

Subsequent life

Soon afterwards, she was hired at the director of the Humanist Community Project at Harvard.[7] She moved from Florida to the Cambridge area.[5] Her work with the Humanist Community Project was to help secular communities build connections, and if they wanted to, secular alternatives to church.[7]

MacBain was part of an minor controversy in 2013 when it came out that she had listed a Masters of Divinity from Duke University on her resume to Harvard which she had never actually completed.[9] She was quoted in saying "I have committed a grave error in judgment that I deeply regret. While I did not do anything with malice or intention to harm others, my actions were still wrong."[10] MacBain stated in a public apology that many assumed she had a M.Div, but she was not initially aware of this fact. She also admitted that once she became aware of the situation, she was not sure of of how to remedy the situation. In her public apology, she indicated that her inaction led to the situation at Harvard. It was true that she attended Duke, but she never received a M.Div.[10]

After the controversy, MacBain continued to be active in supporting nontheists in their activities to build alternatives to church, such as helping communities create Sunday Assemblies.[11] MacBain describes the importance of communities for secular people, "We all need a place to belong, to be accepted and supported, to celebrate life and mourn loss, and to just have fun."[12]

MacBain currently lives in Alabama.[13]She is no longer involved with the secular movement.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Hagerty, Barbara Bradley (30 April 2012). "From Minister To Atheist: A Story Of Losing Faith". NPR. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. 1 2 MacBain, Teresa. "Teresa MacBain". The Clergy Project. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  3. ↑ Conan, Neal (7 May 2012). "When Religious Leaders Lose Their Faith". NPR. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Zaimov, Stoyan (11 July 2012). "Ex-Pastor Turned American Atheist Director Tells How She Lost Faith". The Christian Post. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Garrison, Becky (12 December 2013). "From Pastor to Harvard's 'Godless Church' Planter". Religion Dispatches. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Zaimov, Stoyan (11 April 2013). "Ex-Pastor Turned Humanist Director Wins 'Atheist of the Year' Award". Christian Post. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  7. 1 2 3 Freedman, Samuel G. (20 September 2013). "After a Crisis of Faith, a Former Minister Finds a New, Secular Mission". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  8. ↑ "Atheist Minister Speaks Out Publicly for First Time". WCTV. 23 April 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  9. ↑ Freedman, Samuel G. (26 September 2013). "Minister Admits Overstating her Credentials". The New York Times. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  10. 1 2 Winston, Kimberly (30 September 2013). "MacBain Loses Harvard Job After Inflating Resume". The Washington Post. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  11. ↑ Tarico, Valerie (6 November 2014). "http://www.alternet.org/belief/former-christian-minister-why-i-left-christianity-and-started-atheist-church". Alternet. Retrieved 10 September 2015. External link in |title= (help)
  12. ↑ Tarico, Valerie (28 October 2014). "Seattle’s new Sunday Assembly Church is no Mars Hill". Crosscut. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Teresa MacBain". Carolinas Secular Association. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.

External links

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