Robert V. Thompson, Minister

The Reverend Robert V. Thompson became the minister of Lake Street Church in 1980, after having served pastorates in Kansas and Ohio. A native of California, his interest in seminary increased after he was issued a low draft lottery number. Consequently, he enrolled in the Berkeley Baptist Divinity School (a member of the Graduate Theological Union) in Berkeley, California in 1970.

Although his motives for attending seminary were less than pure, nearly 30 years later he admits that he feels called into the pastoral ministry. How this came to be, he claims, is one among many of God's little jokes that have become an enduring part of his life.

His ministry has long been characterized by a strong commitment to the prophetic vision of peace and justice. Since the early 1990s, he has cultivated an appreciation for the mystical traditions of the East and West. He believes that the Christian mystical tradition, virtually forgotten or ignored by the vast majority of Christians in the West, offers tremendous promise for spiritual renewal.

"What people want," he says, "is direct communion with God. More and more people are dissatisfied with secondhand religion and hand-me-down spirituality." Out of this conviction, he encourages members of his congregation to develop a daily spiritual practice of prayer, meditation and exploration of sacred texts, including–but not limited to–the Bible.

Believing that the diverse religions of the world are all rooted in the same spiritual ground, Rev. Thompson is committed to the interfaith movement as a vehicle of reconciliation, not only between religions, but as a new way to work for peace. He served for six years as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Parliament of the World’s Religions, nearly four of which he was Chairman of the Board.

Out of this interreligious engagement emerged the opportunity for Rev. Thompson to become involved with the Third Side project of the Global Negotiation Program at Harvard University. The Third Side is a way of looking at conflict by involving whole communities as “social immune systems,” in order to prevent and resolve destructive conflict (www.thirdside.org). 

He has written a number of articles on diverse topics for publications like The Christian Century, The Chicago Tribune and Soundvision (a Muslim outlet). He is a contributer to Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary. As Chicago Spirituality Examiner, Rev. Thompson publishes weekly articles on religion and spirituality at Examiner.com. His first book, A Voluptuous God: A Christian Heretic Speaks (Wood Lake Books) was published in the Fall of 2007. 

In this world, Rev. Thompson says he is the beneficiary of immeasurable support from his spouse, Judy Langford. Between them they have four grown children, all of whom are unique and wonderful adults, each making important and personal contributions to the life we all share.

Sermon from November 15, 2009