Rahul Prasad and Sonya Tirtajaya both co-founders of the Sunday Assembly , with Julia Noble and musician Byron Fay. Photo: Melissa Adams
There'll be talks, readings and singalong songs, but Canberra's newest Sunday gathering is set to leave God out of it.
Promising the community of church without the religion, co-founder Sonya Tirtajaya said the Sunday Assembly is about connecting with people and having fun, but also looking at different themes on better living.
“We'll have speakers, we'll have readers, we'll have people sharing personal stories, and for each assembly they'll need to tie into the same theme – there is a bit of a take-home message and a topic for reflection,” Ms Tirtajaya said.
The 29-year-old Campbell community sustainability practitioner said she and husband Richie Merzian – who have co-founded the Canberra group together with Rahul Prasad - had been encouraged by reading prominent author Alain de Botton's Religion for Atheists, which said non-believers should take the best life ideas from the faithful rather than mock them.
“Both Richie and I had come out of a Catholic background, we were still engaging in some of the traditions - going to church at Christmas and Easter, participating in baptisms – but it wasn't really shaping as authentic, but we still wanted to partake,” Ms Tirtajaya said.
“Alain de Botton's book allowed us to unashamedly like that, to partake in the traditions without the religion.”
Perhaps it is its stated radical inclusiveness – agnostics, atheists and the religious are welcome – the popular music or cake and tea at the end, but the Godless congregation has already attracted 150 people for its first event on November 25.
“We're a celebration of life, not of non-believing, people of faith or none are welcome,” Ms Tirtajaya said.
The Sunday Assembly has spread rapidly since it was kicked off by two comedians in the UK in January, with Canberra to be the fortieth congregation worldwide and sixth in Australia to hold an event.
Early meetings will focus on themes including the beginner's mind, happiness and gratitude, and in a sign of how non-doctrinal the Sunday Assembly is, the first meeting is on a Monday night – regular monthly Sunday meetings will follow, Ms Tirtajaya assures.
Former president of the National Council of Churches in Australia James Haire said he viewed the new group as interesting rather than a threat.
“I think if you like they've taken part of Christianity, they've taken what Christians called fellowship, the community, and left out the belief system,” Reverend Professor Haire said.
“Rather than walking away from church, they've actually said I see something of value, without accepting the ethics and beliefs.”
Mr Prasad said he expected the assembly would appeal to many who feel disconnected in the capital.
“Canberra's very transient I've discovered and it can be very insular and I think this may fill to a certain extent this need for people who lack the sense of community in Canberra.”
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