THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 19, 1996 TAG: 9601170098
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Religion
SOURCE: BY BETSY MATHEWS WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
FOR YEARS HORACE ``Skip'' Horton-Parker has noticed an ever-growing population of ``wounded'' Christians, and he has grieved. Now he has decided to do something to help them heal.
Horton-Parker will lead a ``Workshop for Wounded Christians.'' It is a course the 45-year-old adjunct professor of religion and philosophy at the Chesapeake campus of Tidewater Community College has long wanted to teach.
``In my teaching every semester,'' Horton-Parker said, ``I've encountered students who (are fearful) when challenged to appreciate other cultures, religions or art, or when challenged to deal with the deep nourishing questions that are the business of philosophy. They are afraid to ask honest questions for fear that honest inquiry is incompatible with their Christian faith as they understand it.
``I've also seen many students who feel they've had to abandon their Christian faith altogether because the teachings of the church have let them down when it comes to answering complex questions.''
What are some of these ``complex questions'' of faith?
``Oh, you know. Things like salvation and hell, revelation, Bible inerrancy, science vs. religion, faith vs. reason. The heart of this workshop attempts to resolve the sad reality that it is almost a scandal to be a Christian in this culture because of the intolerance and anti-intellectualism that has been associated with the Christian church.
``The split between intellect and spirit must be healed,'' said the professor.
Horton-Parker wants Christians to know that faith and reason are not incompatible. His goal for the workshop is to enable Christians to better follow the biblical injunction to ``love God with all your. . . mind,'' as found in Luke 10:27.
If Horton-Parker sounds as if he has a heart for wounded Christians, it may be because he is one himself.
As a young child, Horton-Parker had what he calls an ``awakening to God's reality.'' This awakening, however, was immediately followed by pain.
``The confusion and hurt came when I was taught that other people who did not `walk the aisle' would be consigned to an eternal hell by a loving God. . my heart and spirit and mind that I wrestled with for the next several decades.''
Horton-Parker's ``dissonance'' led to a theological search, which led to a Comparative Religious Studies degree from Randolph-Macon College, a master's degree in Buddhist studies from the University of Virginia and a master of theology degree from Regent University.
The workshop will be held on four Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. from Feb. 15 through March 7 at the ReSource Practice of the Healing Arts Alliance, 2200 Colonial Ave., Suite 12, in the Ghent section of Norfolk. The cost will be $60 for all four sessions. For registration or information, call 489-1112. by CNB