The Theological Heretics Institute for the Nurture of Knowledge, Enlightenment, Reconciliation and Salvation (THINKERS) was formed to provide a congregation with an environment that is a safe haven where matters of Faith and Reason need not be juxtaposed.
Our Mission: Listen, Learn, Think, Discern
Listen: Enlightenment can only occur when the mind is open. Often, in matters of Faith and Reason, we limit our openness to those things which pass through our pre-judgment filter. To truly listen, we must seek not only hear, but mentally (albeit tentatively) adopt the position of the other sufficiently to gain insight and understanding into the meaning of what is said. We must not only listen to each other, but to the many voices of the ages, whether secular or religious. Fear of what we may find there is no justification for retreat.
Learn: When we Listen for true understanding, we face ideas that are different, and perhaps uncomfortable. Knowing the content of the ideas, understanding the viewpoints from which they are strongest and weakest, and being able to incorporate this information into a larger understanding is essential to intellectual honesty.
Think: Ideas can be wonderful, exciting, disturbing and even outrageous. What we do with ideas is what is important. The willingness to connect and compare ideas, feelings, knowledge and morality is the gate to the paths of Enlightenment and Reconciliation.
Discern: When we open our minds to Listen, Learn and Think, we can find connections that were hidden by our fear or ignorance. We can also find that false connections have tricked us into poor assumptions or faulty conclusions. Only when allow our hearts and minds to use all of the mental and spiritual resources at our disposal do we begin to lift the fog that obscures the path to Salvation.