Hillsong Leader Denies Renouncing Faith, but Says He's on 'Incredibly Shaky Ground'

Hillsong worship artist Marty Sampson is clarifying recent statements he made about losing his faith, insisting he has not "renounced" Christianity but is still struggling. 

Sampson shocked the Christian community in a recently deleted Instagram post when he announced that he is "genuinely losing my faith, and it doesn't bother me."

However, the singer told The Christian Post Tuesday that while he has not "renounced" his faith "it's on incredibly shaky ground." 

Sampson told the paper he is "struggling with many parts of the belief system that seem so incoherent with common human morality."

"If most of humankind had a choice, would we not rid the world of the scourge of cancer? Or sickness and disease? Why doesn't God do such a thing? Of course there is an answer to this question, but the majority of a typical Christian's life is not spent considering these things," he said. "Questions such as these remain in the too hard basket."

Sampson also took to Instagram to post quotes from renowned Christian apologists. But he didn’t stop there, posting quotes by atheists and former Christians who ultimately gave up their faith. 

One post is of theologians Dr. William Lane Craig, Ravi Zacharias, John Lennox and others.

"I don't know these men personally, but I do watch them regularly and listen to their arguments," Sampson wrote. "If you don't know who they are, perhaps you may want to find out more about them."

This post was followed by several others dedicated to agnostics and skeptics of the faith, including the writings of New Testament scholar Bart D Ehrman. 

Ehrman studied the Bible but later renounced his faith and became an agnostic atheist. 

Sampson told the Christian Post he is searching for the truth and still listens to leaders of the faith. 

"I have and continue to analyze the arguments of prominent Christian apologists and biblical scholars, and am open minded enough to consider the arguments of atheist debaters and debaters from other religions," he continued. "If the truth is true, it will remain so regardless of my understanding of it. If I search it out, surely it will become even more clearly seen as the truth that it is. Examining a diamond more closer reveals the quality of the diamond. As I am still breathing, I am still learning."

He also praised Hillsong for supporting him in his time of searching.

"If anything all I have ever received from Hillsong is support and the opportunity to follow my own mind, and they have always taught what I perceive to be sound Pentecostal doctrine."