Reflections of a Reluctant Cleric: . . . another way of faith

Many who espouse Christian or other religious faiths assume that they are insulated from the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune." How often do we hear the phrase, "What did I do to deserve this?" There are even some purveyors of faith who suggest that faith somehow offers a shield from the dark side of life. There are those who maintain that faith leads to health, happiness, prosperity, and security. And while there may be some truth in some instances, it is never an inevitable outcome.

The dissonance of doubt and the persistence of questions occupy the footpath of faith. Pleasure and pain are there, too — frequently more pain than pleasure. Authentic faith endures in this milieu. There is no other.

In Reflections of a Reluctant Cleric . . . another way of faith, Charles Hoffman journeys from his ancestors' immigration to America to his own upbringing in the Canadian prairies, and into his calling as a minister in the Christian faith. He shares his muscular faith and informed spirituality with a healthy dose of humor.