Can Agnostics Pray?
by George Desnoyers
Some people think agnostics cannot pray. Such an idea is silly. Anyone can pray!
Former Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong, a well-known theologian and popular author, rejects traditional theism and has said that Christianity that clings to traditional theism must either change or die. And Marcus Borg, a Christian theologian, author, and professor of religion and culture at Oregon State University, also has rejected the idea of a supernatural and personal god. Yet each of these individuals has admitted to reciting some pretty traditional-sounding Christian prayers.
Even out-and-out atheists - not just the kind who say that the existtence of god can never be proved, but the kind who firmly assert there is no god - can offer multiple rationales for saying fairly traditional-sounding prayers.
If Spong and Borg can pray, and even atheists can pray, praying ought to be really easy for agnostics. Below is a prayer agnostics can use if and when they gather, and which any agnostic could modify slightly and recite to him- or herself while present at a religious service put on by any Christian denomination or other religious tradition.
Agnostic’s Prayer
God, I don’t know if you exist. And if you do, I have no idea whether you know what I’m thinking or saying, or if you care one whit about anything I need or want, or care about my friends, relatives, or any of these folk here. But if you do exist, and if you do know what I am thinking and saying, and you care about what people need and want, please give us whatever favors you are willing to give us. If you make it clear to me that it was you who did it, I promise to be grateful.