Points By Drew Pritt

Faith and Religion are two different concepts.

Faith is best defined in Hebrews 11:1 which states : “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ” Hebrews 11 goes onto speak about faith, its role in a walk with God, and the people who recieved many gifts eventually because of faith.

Religion is a set of common beliefs and practices generally held by a group of people.

Religion has had effects as well. Religion gave us planes flying into buildings. Religion has given us division. Religion has given us such words in the English language as schism and apostasy. As God is to light and the Devil is to a false light, so also is Faith to Religion. And this week, I found out that, even though I am a “Christian” and I am proud to be an Episcopalian, I have always had a distrust of Baptists. I now have had that belief reaffirmed.

I am a student at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, a non-traditional campus. It saddens me as I had yet another experience this week that reaffirmed the feeling I have towards Baptists. The religion over all is intolerant, inconsistent with the message of Christ, and overbearing. Rather than go into the messiness, I am laughing over what I believe to be God’s way, because in the midst of my religious turmoil, I found the above ad for the Church of my choice, the Episcopal Church. In the midst of my righteous indignation, I see the Presiding Bishop, and in a tongue in cheek manner she reaffirmed for me why I am an Episcopalian and others choose to be Baptists.