Orthopraxy - The Fund Raiser
As most of the readers of Little Green Footballs are aware, I’m a fairly regular poster on religious issues and come to the defense of having Christian faith from a liberal to even radical perspective. Over the past few months, I’ve begun work on what started as a short essay and has grown into the beginnings of a small book. The book is my way of trying to make clear how to live a good religious life in our modern world.
I feel the need especially strongly after watching the hateful owners of failing small businesses rake in the “wingnut welfare” by blaming their failings on other people’s sexuality or gender identity. I do not believe that faith should be like that and want to provide my voice, however small, in defiance of those would hate in the name of God.
Orthopraxy is an old word meaning “right behavior” as opposed to orthodoxy which means “right thinking”. The goal of my Go Fund Me campaign is to help me finish my book on living as a Christian in modern America. This book is to be called Orthopraxy.
From my GoFundMe Page at gofundme.com
My name is William Lewis. I am a 51 year old divorced father of one adopted son. I work one full time and one part time job to try to make ends meet.
I am also very active in my Episcopalian parish and am currently honored to serve as the senior warden. As a result of this service, I am bothered by the decline of all Christian churches in America and have spent much time pondering and praying about why this is. I have come to believe that it is mostly due to a lack of truly good role models of people living the way Jesus taught us to live - in radical love of God, Self & Neighbor.
I believe that I have a calling to write a small book to try and help people understand how to do that. I have a call to explain to people that all the right thinking in the world doesn’t amount to a hill of beans if there isn’t right living to go along with it. I have a call to explain how it is not so difficult to take one step after another, to know that none of us is perfect but that moving towards God in love is what really matters. To remind everyone that love abides.
I have the outline completed and some large fragments already written. With help so that I can concentrate on my job and on my calling without worrying about how all the bills will get paid, I believe that I can have Orthopraxy ready to submit to a publisher by the end of the summer.
The money I am asking for will be used to pay my living expenses, my son’s expenses, and to do research for my book. Research would include travel to various Midwestern cities to see various churches and what they are doing to live the life of Jesus in this modern world of ours.
When the book is finished, all backers will receive an e-copy. If the book is successfully published, all backers will receive a free copy of the book if they wish.
If you wish to read more of my thoughts before committing yourself, here is a copy of the fragments I have written as of today:
My GoFundMe page is located here: gofundme.com I hope that you would consider the possibility of helping me on my way during this