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Freethinking, Freeteaching, Freewriting
Teacher, writer and humanist celebrant Chris Highland will discuss how and why he has written “Highland Views” columns for the Religion pages of a newspaper for 8 years under subjects of freethinking, freeteaching, and freewriting. Sharing snippets of columns as well as stories of interactions with readers—including evangelicals and atheists—reveals the impact of his writing and teaching across the landscape of beliefs.
Since 2016, Chris Highland has written a weekly “Highland Views” column for the Asheville Citizen-Times (in the USA Today network). As a former Presbyterian minister, interfaith chaplain, shelter director and senior housing manager, he draws from a deep well of experience in human service and progressive ministry.
Transitioning from a Christian and interfaith background to embrace a secular humanist worldview, he presents an inclusive perspective that is not anti-religious but affirming of a world where people of faith and non-theists can potentially find common ground.
His first book, Meditations of John Muir (2001), has led to a series of books including A Freethinker’s Gospel, Intersections, Eye to Eye, Beyond the Boundaries of Belief and other collections of essays. Chris teaches courses on Freethought, Humanism and Christian Nationalism at the Reuter Center on the campus of UNCA. Chris and his wife, Rev. Carol Hovis, a teacher and counselor, moved to Asheville from the SF Bay Area in 2016.His website is “Friendly Freethinker” (www.chighland.com).
