The Heirloom Seeds of an Ancient and Profoundly Relevant Faith

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sngBy Rev. Solveig Nilsen-Goodin (right), a pastor, parent, author and organizer in Portland, OR

*This is the third installation of a year-long series of posts from contributors all over North America each answering the question, “How would you define radical discipleship?” We will be posting responses regularly on Mondays during 2019.

As is often quoted within Radical Discipleship circles, ‘Radical’ comes from the Latin: radix, meaning root — getting to the root causes, the root pressures, the roots of our faith. Yes! Let’s get to the roots!

But today as I reflect on what Radical Discipleship means to me, and why it is necessary in the first place, I want to talk about seeds. Continue reading “The Heirloom Seeds of an Ancient and Profoundly Relevant Faith” →

Through the Wilderness

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walzerFrom Jewish political theorist Michael Walzer’s Exodus and Revolution (1985):

So pharaonic oppression, deliverance, Sinai, and Canaan are still with us, powerful memories shaping our perceptions of the political world. The “door of hope” is still open; things are not what they might be–even when what they might be isn’t totally different from what they are. This is a central theme in Western thought, always present though elaborated in many different ways. We still believe, or many of us do, what the Exodus first taught, or what it has commonly been taken to teach, about the meaning and possibility of politics and about its proper form:

-first, that wherever you live, it is probably Egypt;

-second, that there is a better place, a world more attractive, a promised land;

-and third, that “the way to the land is through the wilderness.” There is no way to get from here to there except by joining together and marching.

Nature Against Empire

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chedAn excerpt from Ched Myers‘ must-read article “Nature against Empire: Exodus Plagues, Climate Crisis and Hardheartedness.” Digest this taste-tester and then spend time with the entire piece, where Myers weaves together climate science and our sacred Scripture. Join Ched and other theological animators at the 2019 Bartimaeus Kinsler Institute in February.

British theologian Michael Northcott’s important 2013 Political Theology of Climate Change argues that our modern worldview offers no frame of reference for the “politics of slow catastrophe” stalking our history through ecological catastrophe.  He shows how traditional cosmologies, including the Bible, saw climate as political.  That is, the actions of nations influenced the health of nature; when people behaved badly, the earth behaved badly back.  Modernity, however, banished that notion as superstitious and unscientific.  Humans and our technologies are now in control, we believe, while nature is depersonalized, demystified and at our disposal.  That paradigm may have “worked” for a few centuries, but now we are realizing that nature seems to be biting back. Continue reading “Nature Against Empire” →

Wild Lectionary: Song of the Baptizer

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Photo by Tim Nafziger

Baptism of the Lord C

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

By Jay Beck and Tevyn East

we must rid our lives of the participation
in the greed driven schemes of these corporations
who are pushing and forcing the privatization
of the river of life, causing evaporation, (desertification)
leaving us choking on hot dry frustration. Continue reading “Wild Lectionary: Song of the Baptizer” →

Press Release: Denouncing State & Coastal Gaslink Violence On Unceded WET’SUWET’EN Territory

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49505663_489982328075801_37458299574026240_oFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Inquiries:
Jen Wickham: 778-210-0067
Delee Nikal: 250-961-9642
Carla Lewis: 778-669-1316
Karla Tait: 250-640-1094

RALLIES PLANNED INTERNATIONALLY TO DENOUNCE STATE AND COASTAL GASLINK VIOLENCE ON UNCEDED WET’SUWET’EN TERRITORY

January 8, 2019 – Yesterday militarized RCMP descended onto unceded Wet’suwet’en to enforce a colonial court injunction. Fourteen people were arrested including Gitdumden spokesperson Molly Wickham. One elder was released and 13 land defenders and supporters will be appearing in court in Prince George today.

Rallies in 55 cities across Canada and internationally will be taking place today Tuesday January 8, 2019 to express solidarity with the Wet’suwet’en defending their unceded lands from unwanted fracked gas development.
Continue reading “Press Release: Denouncing State & Coastal Gaslink Violence On Unceded WET’SUWET’EN Territory” →

Rebels and Saints to guide 2019

On By RadicalDiscipleshipIn Cloud of Witnesses, UncategorizedLeave a comment
allsaints
By Julia Jack Scott

Friends,

In November, we sent out 150 perpetual calendars for children in our communities near and far. Part of that work was gathering dates and people to be remembered and honored. Another piece was collecting books written for kids on these holy mischief makers. That work is just a beginning. We hope to continue to add dates and stories in the time to come.

So, we have posted it on RadicalDiscipleship. You can follow along throughout the year, read some wonderful stories, and also let us know the many glaring holes that are missing. You can write in the comments of the page other ideas of dates/books or email lydiaiwk@gmail.com.

Let us honor these rebels and saints with our lives!

Follow along HERE.

Water to my Weary Soul

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graceBy Joshua Grace, a pastor, pitcher, parent and DJ in North Philly

*This is the second installation of a year-long series of posts from contributors all over North America each answering the question, “How would you define radical discipleship?” We will be posting responses regularly on Mondays during 2019.

Radical discipleship doesn’t lend itself to the typical rat race towards better answers. We’re trying asking better questions. What does it mean to be a human being in our past, present, and future social and natural locations? How can our practices toward bioregional health shape our approach to faith and how do our spiritualties contribute to the health of the communities we root into? How can we contribute to the mission of God with eyes open to systemic oppressions, levels and layers of privilege, and hearts open to healing? Continue reading “Water to my Weary Soul” →

The Advent of Stars and “Pagans”

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MagiBy Jim Perkinson, on Matthew 2:1-12

So, the stage is set. Matthew has an old horny codger taking up a young nubile teenager (could be a headline on CNN tomorrow) but then discovering he is late to the freshness. She already has a loaf in the oven. He resolves to part in quiet but is accosted by a Dream-Time appearance counseling adventure—the child is Spirit-born, the event is “Emmanuel,” the promise is deliverance. He wakes and tries to stay “woke.” Continue reading “The Advent of Stars and “Pagans”” →