Perry Bacon, who grew up in a highly religious household, shares his journey away from traditional church settings in favor of finding a community that aligns with his evolving values.
Background: Perry Bacon, like many “nones,” no longer feels a connection with traditional religious institutions and is seeking a new spiritual community.
* Bacon and the article’s author both share similar backgrounds, having fathers who preached in church and growing up with mandatory church attendance.
* Bacon started feeling distant from his faith when he began attending college at Yale, distanced from his family’s Black charismatic church.
Shifting values: In his twenties, Bacon found a multiracial church that initially felt like a good fit for him.
* Over time, however, his views on religion were influenced by secular scholars and the Black Lives Matter movement, leading him to question the church’s acceptance of societal norms.
* Additionally, the discovery of his church’s exclusion of a gay man from a leadership role shook his allegiance.
Current stance: Despite identifying as culturally Christian, Bacon is leaning towards a non-traditional expression of spirituality.
* He has entertained the idea of joining the Unitarians in Louisville, or even establishing a new community based on shared values outside of a traditional church context.
* For him, community events like a local farmer’s market provide the sense of community and shared values typically expected from a church environment.
On the search: Bacon continues to grapple with finding the ideal spiritual community for him and his daughter, but is leaning towards non-traditional approaches.
* He is considering ways to develop a community focused on teaching shared values rather than adhering to specific religious beliefs.
* This might not end up being a place that operates just on Sunday mornings, the traditional church schedule, but a space that provides the same functions throughout the week.
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