A Freethinker's Gospel

A Freethinker’s Gospel is a collection of columns by Chris Highland, first published in the Asheville Citizen-Times from 2016-17. A former Protestant minister and prison chaplain, Highland is now a secular "freethinker" who muses on the natural world, on being a non-believer in a highly religious society, and the commonalities shared between religions. This compilation of essays offers his reflections on interfaith work, the search for self-discovery, and the commonalities that bind us regardless of social, political, economic, or religious backgrounds. His insights about the marvelous structure of our natural world and what nature can teach us, and the way our society is structured, addressing humanism, the natural world, and sensitive issues of faith, are enlightening and challenging. Chris Highland was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and lived for over 35 years in the San Francisco Bay Area. He was a Protestant minister and Interfaith chaplain for many years before becoming a Humanist celebrant. With a degree in Religion and Philosophy from an evangelical Christian university (Seattle Pacific) and a Master of Divinity degree from a diverse consortium of seminaries (Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley), he has been active in "presence ministry" and nonprofit work in a private school, a county jail, homeless shelters, and affordable housing. He is the author of ten books including Meditations of John Muir, My Address is a River, Life After Faith, the novella Jesus and John Muir, as well as an essay collection, Nature is Enough. He has taught courses on Nature Literature and Freethought in California and North Carolina. Chris blogs at Secular Chaplain. As a member of The Clergy Project, he contributes to Rational Doubt on Patheos. Seeking wider connections, he also holds membership in the American Humanist Association, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the Religious Naturalist Association, and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.