At the border of Christian belonging, between belief and unbelief, I am building a playground. I call this place secular Christianity and sacred atheism. And I'm inviting you to come play.
I’m obsessed with questions of belonging—of where the borders lie, and why, and who benefits from the arrangement. My newsletter is an experiment in turning a border into a playground, where we can play without the threat of becoming other; where a secular (playful!) Christianity merges seamlessly with sacred atheism because god is a story that plays differently on different bodies, and we need a borderless place to play with that story; and where hidden possibilities of belonging can emerge, because I believe a hopeful future is contingent on finding and nourishing hidden patterns of belonging.
I write at the border of Christian belonging, because it is the place where I am from. But you may be interested in joining me here, regardless of your background, if you are seeking a communal, embodied spirituality that takes seriously the tasks of caretaking and repair.
Here you may find monthly personal essays where I explore my very earnest questions of spirituality and belonging, as well as occasional experiments in poetry. My publishing schedule may vary, because as a mother my writing depends on a precarious arrangement that can collapse at the slightest disruption; and because cooperating with my PDA autistic nervous system requires flexibility. But I will be a caretaker of this playground within my varied capacity, and if I miss a scheduled post or two (or seven!) my caretaking will show its public face again when it is ready.
Welcome!
My name is Shaina Fisher-Galvas. I am an autistic, unchurched writer and mother. I studied creative writing for two years at Knox College and have an MA in Theological Studies from Regent College. I have spent the entirety of my adulthood in carework, as a CNA for nine years, an RN for ten, and now as a mother. I have served on leadership of two churches that no longer exist. For three years I have been unchurched.
