Faith Story: Jonas Ellison

Hi, I’m Jonas Ellison and my family and I‌ have been members of Holy Trinity for a little over a year now. I’m a first-year, full-time seminarian pursuing a master's of divinity at LSTC and discerning my call to ministry in the ELCA. To make the distinction, I’m not a MIC resident seminarian like Troy, Melissa, Sarah, or Reed. I’m a member who happens to be a seminarian. I start my MIC next year, but I‌ hate goodbyes, so I’ll save it for then:)

I was raised Roman Catholic (hands?). Later in life, I started to question my faith altogether. Was God really an abusive father who killed his only son because of us? Did God truly despise people of certain sexual orientations and religions (and those who didn’t identify with any religion)? Why couldn’t priests be female or married? How could God be so disgruntled by His own creation?

In my early 20s, I identified as spiritual-but-not-religious and did so for almost two decades. A couple years ago, I found myself drawn to three seemingly paradoxical things: progressive Christianity, orthodox Christianity, and contemplative/mystical Christianity. How and where in the world would I‌ find a faith community that embraces all three? 

Holy Trinity was and is that place: A sacred space that welcomes all to the table (even a heretic like me). One that embraces a progressive worldview while remaining rooted in ancient orthodox theology. One that provides that holy comma every week where I can rest my weary soul and allow God’s grace to swoop in and soften my heart. One that encourages my endless questions - and even doubts. 

This is a community that my wife and I feel safe raising our daughter in and it’s the reason that I enrolled in seminary and devoted my life to carrying on this tradition in whatever ways that I can. This is why we financially support Holy Trinity and our mission - to help make this the new norm in the Christian faith. It’s a bold endeavor, for sure - but one that we feel divinely privileged to be a part of. Thank you.