HOW TO TALK ABOUT GOD IN SILICON VALLEY

"Traditional religion in the Bay Area is being replaced with another sort of faith, a belief in the power of technology and science to save humanity." 

On Palm Sunday, a week before Easter, there are still plenty of good seats available at the Palo Alto Christian Reformed Church.

Located on a sleepy side street, nestled between suburban cul-de-sacs and a sprawling cemetery where Steve Jobs is buried, it’s easy to miss. My Lyft driver did just that before making a lazy U-turn that got me to the church, but not on time. The service was underway as I slunk toward a seat toward the rear, drawing curious glances from the parishioners scattered about.

The church’s interior is modest. A few simple banners hang from the wood-paneled walls, with “hosanna” and “allelulia” in lower-case block letters. Matthew Burns, the 31-year-old pastor, is also restrained in appearance. He’s wearing a sweater vest over a lavender shirt, and preaches from a simple lectern on the floor, not an altar.
As befitting Palm Sunday, the sermon is about Lazarus of Bethany—whom Jesus raised from the grave—and the meaning of death for Christians...READ MORE