A Faithful Agnostic Speaks

The late Joseph S. Willis was a preacher, pastor, painter, and poet. In this compilation the reader will encounter thought-provoking musings about God, the universe, various religions, and lessons to apply to life.  Willis’s ministry began in the Christian tradition; how­ever, over time he explored a wider range of interests, which led him to become a Unitarian Universalist. An accomplished landscape artist, he conveyed through mostly southwestern scenes his deep appreciation of nature and his belief that man is not the ruler of the earth. In words and pictures, he expressed a profound understanding of our place in the universe, but he never claimed to have found eternal truth. In fact, he called himself a “faithful agnostic.” Readers of all faiths will find nuggets of wisdom woven throughout these pages.   

Faith is not contrary to reason; faith emerges from reason. For me, the Ultimate Reality is a Mystery. It is beyond my under­standing, and beyond the understanding of every astronomer, every theologian, and every philosopher. God is simply a human name for the incomprehensible Mystery. And I believe in the Mystery – whatever it is.                                                                  -Joseph S. Willis, excerpt from the sermon Faith: You’d Better Believe It!