Who needs the God of the Bible if I can be the source of my own religion? In a famous study, the sociologist Peter Berger tells the story of Sheila. Sheila is a young woman who describes her faith as ‘Sheilaism’. She says, “I believe in God. I can’t remember the last time I went to church. My faith has carried me a long way. It’s…just my own little voice.” She goes on to tell how Sheilaism is really about being good to yourself and to others and concludes that that is all God really wants.
There is obviously nothing wrong with trying to be nice to yourself and others, but I am not so sure how far Sheila’s little voice is going to get her. Ultimately, we are pretty small and limited creatures. I would much rather be a disciple of someone much bigger and wiser than myself. Who needs their own little voice when we can hear the one that called the universe into being?
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