Happy without God?

Seven years ago Olympic athlete and presenter of Songs of Praise, Jonathan Edwards, announced he had lost his faith and no longer went to church. Fresh from reporting on the Sochi Winter Olympics the 47-year-old has been talking again about his lack of faith. “I don’t feel there is any gap in my life and I suppose that’s the proof of the pudding, isn’t it? Had I suddenly felt that life didn’t feel right maybe I’d reexamine my faith,” he told the Evening Chronicle of Newcastle. “I feel comfortable with where I am in life.” Edwards still works hard to keep fit and is taking part in a cycling event to raise money for Marie Curie. The sportsman is to be respected for being honest about his loss of faith but even non-believers might find his way of talking about his life a little strange. Is it a good sign when we don’t feel a gap in our lives? “I am happy. I am fine and I don’t miss my faith,” says Edwards. But maybe the role of faith is to make us discontented and suspicious of a sense of happiness that may be based on ignoring some of life’s problems. Would WH Auden have described himself as ‘happy’ in this way? Is faith there to make us all feel fine? Does the Spirit not sometimes work to shake us up and see the world with fresh eyes? Edwards can’t be blamed for talking the way many Christians actually talk but maybe we should see faith as a disturber rather than a comforter, an eye opener rather than tranquilliser.