"I hadn't received this much of a reaction since 9/11," Jensen said. The item barely created a ripple in India, but when the Houston Chronicle picked it up in March, conservative Christians went bananas. The article, which opens with the provocative line "I don't believe in God," first ran in a December edition of the Hindustan Times, one of India's two largest English-language newspapers. Andrew's formally threw out the welcome mat for Jensen, who then wrote an op-ed article about his experience.
"It's hard not to feel at home there," Jensen said.
Andrew gay massage utah series#
For the last two years, Jensen has led a monthly series of political film screenings at the church. Andrew's late last year after striking up a friendship with Rigby. Jensen grew up in the Presbyterian Church but later rejected organized religion altogether. Now Jensen and Rigby have teamed up this time as parishioner and pastor to challenge the conservative wing of the Presbyterian hierarchy, which seeks to have Jensen tossed out on his atheist ear. For Rigby, it was his ordination of an openly gay elder and his willingness to bless same-sex unions that once threatened his standing in the Presbyterian Church. Jensen's biggest stir swirled around his post 9/11 remarks suggesting that U.S. Andrew's Presbyterian Church pastor Jim Rigby have come under attack for their outspoken views of the world. (Photo By John Anderson)įrom time to time throughout their colorful careers, UT journalism professor Robert Jensen and St. Andrew's Presbyterian pastor Jim Rigby's (left) decision to let atheist UT professor Robert Jensen (right) join the church has outraged conservative Presbyterians.