No Answers

No answers [Excerpts]

In 2006, [Pastor D.E.] Paulk moved from a church he started in Stone Mountain to become the senior pastor at Chapel Hill Harvester Church, located in South Decatur. Built by his father, Don Paulk, and his uncle, Bishop Earl Paulk, the 4,000-member church was one of the largest independent, racially diverse churches in the nation.

Soon after D.E. Paulk took over as senior pastor, he faced what he now collectively calls “the scandal.” A number of women came forward alleging Earl Paulk used his influence as bishop to coerce them into sexual relationships. As part of the legal proceedings, Earl Paulk was forced to undergo a paternity test to see if he had fathered several children in the church.

The paternity test revealed that Earl Paulk, the man D.E. Paulk grew up believing was his uncle, was actually his biological father. Yet it was as these scandals rocked the church that D.E Paulk found the strength to say what was in his heart.

Paulk began to focus on his core principles and beliefs as he moved toward what he calls “radical inclusion” and away from Christianity. Paulk founded the organization Pro-Love in 2004, which has sponsored inclusion marches every year since. He also began work on his new book, “I Don’t Know … The Way of Knowing.”

The book outlines his beliefs, a multi-national mixture of Hindu, Buddhist, Daoism and other religious thought combined with quotes from an array of historical and cultural figures. Throughout the book, Paulk admits he doesn’t have the answers, and advocates the creation of groups of people all looking for the answers together.

Paulk is against the idea of defining God as a certain concept. He refers to God as “The Christ” who takes many forms, including Jesus. He [said] he doesn’t believe in God and the devil, just God.

Like in his book, Paulk advocated looking for answers, but accepting that they may not be forthcoming.

“I think the goal of the book is to get people to admit that they don’t know as much as they might think they know,” he says.

http://www.southernvoice.com/2009/3-6/locallife/feature/9853.cfm