During most of my years as a liberal Protestant minister, I never saw a contradiction between my Christian faith and the fact of evolution. Like many progressive Christians, I did not understand evolution as a challenge to the doctrine of divine creation ex nihilo; evolution was merely the mechanism that God used for creating life on our planet. Aside from a cursory discussion in an undergraduate biology course, evolution never played much of a role in my world view…

Randi Kaye interviews Teresa MacBain on ‘Faces of Faith’ about her transition from minister to atheist.

Teresa MacBain has a secret, one she’s terrified to reveal. “I’m currently an active pastor and I’m also an atheist,” she says. “I live a double life. I feel pretty good on Monday, but by Thursday — when Sunday’s right around the corner — I start having stomachaches, headaches, just knowing that I got to stand up and say things that I no longer believe in and portray myself in a way that’s totally false.”

In the span of just a few months, Jerry DeWitt went from a respected pastor with a vibrant congregation to an atheist without a job.

DeWitt, 42, is the first “graduate” of The Clergy Project, a program supported by several atheist organizations that assists pastors who have lost their faith to “come out” as atheists to family, friends, congregations and communities.

Pastor Mike Aus joins Up w/ Chris Hayes to share how he sees the world in a new way after breaking away from his beliefs in religious doctrines.

The Reverend Michael Aus came out as a non-believer on national television on March 25th 2012. Congratulations to Mike on his brave decision, and to the Clergy Project for giving him moral support. — RDFRS

Dan Barker and Annie Laurie Gaylor talk with a fifth generation minister who saw the light and is now a nonbeliever. John Compere’s book is called Towards the Light: A fifth generation minister’s journey from religion to nonbelief.

What do debutante balls, the Japanese tea ceremony, Ponzi schemes and doubting clergy all have in common?

Dr. Stephen Uhl, a former Roman Catholic priest and author of “Out of God’s Closet”, shares the reason he is featured on a FFRF billboard in Arizona. His motto is “Atheists work to make this life heavenly.”

Dan Barker shares how The Clergy Project began and the plight of non-believing clergy during his speech at Skepticon IV in November 2011.

How can the US motto be “In God We Trust” when so many Americans are Out of the Closet atheists? FFRF talks with one of those out of the closet atheists: a former Roman Catholic priest, Stephen Uhl, author of “Out of God’s Closet.” His motto is “Atheists work to make this life heavenly.”

Geoff Berg interviews Jerry DeWitt during the Texas Freethought Convention in Houston, Texas, where the new website for The Clergy Project is announced to the public.

For a monk who lost his faith, a post religious life can be a bumpy journey. We interview “Seraphim” a member of The Clergy Project about his experiences leaving the orthodox church.

We talk with brand new atheist and ex-minister who just left a Pentecostal church in Louisiana. Jerry DeWitt talks about why life is better without God.

Patrick Semple, former Church of Ireland (Anglican) clergyman explains why he is now an atheist, and why he was known as “the rector who wouldn’t pray for rain.”

Did you know there are atheists and agnostics in the pulpit? Freethought Radio will announce the new Clergy Project, promoted by Dawkins, Dennett, Barker and a contingent of former ministers who are now atheists, to help nonbelieving clergy leave the pulpit. We’ll interview “Chris,” a non-theist “in the closet” who is a senior pastor at a Southern evangelical church.

Clergy Project member Ben Burchall talks about the experiences that lead him to leave the faith. He is the founder of Black Nonbelievers of Atlanta.

A recent study from Tufts University tells the story of several pastors who no longer believe in God. Most are still working in churches, still preaching sermons, and still counseling the faithful. They are isolated and, in some cases, unable to confide even in their own families, for fear of what their newfound disbelief may do to their relationships. Listen to one pastor’s story.

“I am an atheist,” says “Jack,” a Southern Baptist with more than 20 years in ministry.

“I live out my life as if there is no God,” says “Adam,” who is part of the pastoral staff of a small evangelical church in the Bible Belt.

What should pastors do if they no longer hold the defining beliefs of their denomination? Do clergy have a moral obligation not to challenge the sincere faith of their parishioners? If this requires them to dissemble from the pulpit, doesn’t this create systematic hypocrisy at the center of religion? What would you want your pastor to do with his or her personal doubts or loss of faith?

Read Preachers who are not Believers , a study by Daniel C. Dennett and Linda LaScola of the Center for Cognitive Studies at Tufts University.