A pastor, a plastic surgeon and a recovering alcoholic walk into a bar.

Then they sit down, order drinks and spend the next two hours discussing and debating what it means for humans to be made in the likeness of God.

The opening line might sound like a joke, but this story doesnt end with a punch line.

This is Pub Theology, a growing movement to use bars as a safe place to spark discussion of spirituality and philosophy, according to http://www.pub theology.com. Chapters have popped up across the U.S. and Canada.

Frederick in January joined the growing number of Pub Theology meetups with a group hosted by Unity in Frederick that gathers twice a month. The Rev. Toni Fish, Unitys pastor, framed the group as an extension of Unitys belief in a church without walls, meaning that spirituality is not confined to Sunday morning services.

On a recent Tuesday, seven people sat at a long table at Vini Culture Wine Bar & Cafe in downtown Frederick, amid the sounds of other patrons chatter and laughter mixed with music played over a speaker system. Glasses of beer and wine and dishes of food adorned the table, as well as leaflets with the suggested questions for the meetings topic, available to all official Pub Theology chapters.

On that day, the topic was art what it means for humans to be created in the divine image, and what it means to be a conscious being, according to the handout. The group started with an ice-breaker question, meant to help participants get to know one another and prepare them for the more serious, thought-provoking questions that follow, according to Sarah Phillips, who co-hosts the group with Fish.

Phillips posed the first question of the day: What is your favorite way to create art? One by one, in no apparent order, the participants responded.

Pauses punctuated the first round of answers. But as the group moved into the subsequent question about the theological, social and moral implications of believing people are made in the image of God, discussion picked up.

Conversation incorporated a host of perspectives; references to Facebook memes and TED Talks juxtaposed with quotes from religious texts and academic perspectives. Was Adolf Hitler made in the image of God? How does this relate to the psychological theory of spiral dynamics? Is it hypocritical to believe that humans reflect Gods goodness and also support a criminal justice system that punishes lawbreakers?

In answering the last question, one participant, Heather Parsons, offered an explanation that seemed to strike a chord with the group. Just because youre an image of God doesnt mean youre walking in it, she said. Theres that potential in all of us. But what we do with it ...

Heather, a Clarksburg resident who came with her husband, Zak Parsons, was quiet for most of the discussion up until that point. It was only her second time attending.

Both Heather and Zak were drawn to the group for what they described as reevaluation and discovering of their faith.

Participants brought with them an array of perspectives.

Anita Goff has attended services at Unity for four years. Goff, a Frederick resident, has explored a range of religious beliefs, including Buddhism. She came to Pub Theology to better understand and more clearly define her own beliefs. Like Heather, it was her second time attending. She also stayed quiet at first, although her participation grew as the discussion progressed.

I was afraid at first, she admitted. I looked at those questions and was like, What does that mean? I dont know if Im smart enough. ... Ill let other people talk.

Though her discomfort persisted to a degree, she was resolved to continue participating. It was one of her personal goals for the year, she said.

Comfort was not a problem for Kyle Huth, a recovering alcoholic and regular attendee since the Frederick Pub Theology group started. He said the bar setting poses no threat but rather empowers him, allowing him to prove to himself that his now six-plus years of sobriety could not be broken by simply being in a bar. In fact, he calls the Pub Theology meetings his safest two hours of the week, he said, and the spiritual discussions therein similar to aspects of a 12-step program he follows are an essential part of his recovery.

Huth also attends Unity in Frederick, and Phillips is his life coach.

Phillips drew Tracey Culbertson to the group as well. Culbertson, a Frederick resident and plastic surgeon, is friends with Phillips, but has no connection to Unity. Culbertson, who described herself as a God-fearing heathen, has in the past found churches and other traditional places of worship uncomfortable, she said. The neutral setting of a wine bar appealed to her for that reason.

This is exactly what Fish hoped to accomplish when she started the local chapter. We wanted to reach out to folks who are not enthusiastic about coming to churches, to get different perspectives.

Attracting a diverse range of participants whose political and social views differ from the current bent of the group remains a continued focus, Fish added.

Everyone has unique ideas, but we get a lot of folks with the same mindset about general issues, she said. Id love to see folks who dont necessarily agree with that viewpoint ... to be part of an honest dialogue.

Follow Nancy Lavin on Twitter: @NancyKLavin.

Link:

Wine and the divine: Local Pub Theology chapter brings spirituality to the bar - Frederick News Post (subscription)