Can Faith and Doubt Belong Together in Church? A Conversation with Jane Ritterson

Why do people stay connected to church in a world where belief feels uncertain and worship can sometimes feel ordinary? In this episode of Together 4 Good, Pastor Nate sits down with Senior Ministries Co-Coordinator Pastor Jane Ritterson to talk about “thin spaces,” embodied prayer, doubt, death and dying, and why community still matters. This conversation explores the tension between belief and trust—and the quiet hope that God often shows up through other people.

What You’ll Learn:

What “thin spaces” are and how they shape faith

Why embodied prayer can matter more than perfect words

How faith and doubt can coexist honestly

Why church is grounding—even when it isn’t exciting

How humility and community sustain us in hard seasons

If this conversation resonated with you, like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who might be asking similar questions about faith, doubt, and community.

Connect with Bethany:

📍 Bethany Lutheran Church – Denver, CO

🌐 Learn more: https://www.bethany-denver.org

Chapters

00:00 Introduction – Meet Pastor Jane Ritterson

01:15 Retiring During COVID & A Second Career in Ministry

03:00 Serving Historic Churches on the East Coast

04:45 Hospice Chaplaincy & Sacred Moments in Death

08:30 Communion at the Bedside – A Thin Space

11:00 Faith in Grief & Family Worship Memories

14:30 Where Do We Experience the Divine?

17:00 Raising Kids in Ministry – Family Impact

21:30 Expectations on Pastors’ Spouses

23:15 Why Don’t Young People Go to Church?

26:00 Faith and Doubt Can Coexist

28:15 Is Church Sometimes Boring?

29:00 Embodied Prayer & Community Care

32:00 Trust vs Belief – Rethinking Faith

36:00 Faith and Science – Wonder and Mystery

37:30 Why Stay in Church? God Is God and We Are Not

40:00 Life Review, Humility, and Loving Without Judgment

41:00 Closing Reflections