Born May 14, 1907, Died April 14, 1964 Continue reading ““Mother of a Movement”, Rachel Carson”
Have Mercy on Us!
By Wes Howard-Brook and Sue Ferguson Johnson
The final leg of the journey to Jerusalem begins with this week’s gospel (Lk 17.11-19). Alert readers, though, will note that Jesus and the disciples have not gotten very far. At the very beginning, Luke tells us that “they entered a village of the Samaritans to make ready for him” (9.52). Now, eight chapters later, Luke says, “On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the midst (Gk, dia meson, misleadingly translated by NRSV as “between”) of Samaria and Galilee.” Like the Israelites in the wilderness, they seem to be going in circles in the land north of Judea. Perhaps this is a sly reference to the disciples, like their Israelite ancestors, lacking the faith that the journey they are on will lead to the place of God’s abundant provision. Indeed, as we heard last week, the disciples had just demanded of Jesus, “Increase our faith!” (17.5). Continue reading “Have Mercy on Us!”
Frank Talk with Ruby Sales
Some highlights from Krista Tippett’s recent interview with Ruby Sales:
I think that one of the things that theologies must have is hindsight, insight, and foresight. That is complete sight.
—————-
I really think that one of the things that we’ve got to deal with is that how is it that we develop a theology or theologies in a 21st-century capitalist technocracy where only a few lives matter? How do we raise people up from disposability to essentiality? Continue reading “Frank Talk with Ruby Sales”
Why Did Jesus Weep: Because #BlackLivesMatter Too?
By Keith Magee, Director, Social Justice Institute and Scholar in Residence at Elie Wiesel Center, Boston University
For the last four visible years America has endured, once again, the polarizing effects of racism and injustice. Yet, instead of the perpetrators wearing white sheets and lynching African Americans with coral ropes as they did decades prior, they now wear blue uniforms and use issued firearms. The loss of Trayvon, Eric, Tamir, Sandra, Freddie, Korryn, Alton, Terence, Keith, and all of the others we name, came not because their assassins feared them, but because they believed these lives didn’t matter. Secretly, I’ve wept at my core when I hear the news that they have taken another life. Even when I’m driving my car, with my two-year-old Zayden, I pray that our lives will matter. Continue reading “Why Did Jesus Weep: Because #BlackLivesMatter Too?”
Racists Anonymous
Every Wednesday, Trinity United Church of Christ in Concord, North Carolina hosts a Racists Anonymous (RA) meeting. Here are their Racists Anonymous 12 Steps of Recovery:
1. I have come to admit that I am powerless over my addiction to racism in ways I am unable to recognize fully, let alone manage.
2. I believe that only a power greater than me can restore me in my humanness to the non-racist creature as God designed me to be. Continue reading “Racists Anonymous”
Real Estate, Oil Pipelines & The Kingdom of God?
An Open Letter To The Diocese of Hamilton, ON
Dear folks at the Diocese,
Thanks for all the good work you do to keep the name of Jesus alive and well. It’s important that we are reminded, in word and action, that the essence of Jesus’s life was to love one another. As far as I can tell, that love means one thing, perhaps two: a sacrifice that leads to joy, a reminder that the goods of the world belong to the poor, first of all. Bearing these little thoughts in mind, it is interesting to note that there seems to be a large discrepancy at work in the workings of the Diocese. While, with one hand, it clothes the poor, as G-d clothed Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden, and feeds the hungry, as G-d fed the prophet, Elijah, by way of a raven, it, with the other, denudes and starves them both. I speak, specifically, of two actions. Continue reading “Real Estate, Oil Pipelines & The Kingdom of God?”
We say it again
Send us your reflections, poetry, songs, photographs, paintings, ramblings, desires, questions. This is a communal space to share the work of radical discipleship communities. Be welcomed! We want your voice and stories. Send to Lydia at lydiaiwk@gmail.com.
Reflection on arrest at DC Air Show
By Steve Williams-Baggarly, Norfolk Catholic Worker
The annual Air Show at Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach is the Navy’s largest open house in North America. Some quarter of a million people attend it over three days, and this year it hosted some very special guests—all 6500 fifth graders in Virginia Beach Public Schools. All were students in the school system’s STEM program (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and were invited to the base on the first day, otherwise closed to the public, for interactive science displays along with their own private Air Show. Continue reading “Reflection on arrest at DC Air Show”
Beyond Christian Duty Into the Way of Jesus
By Wes Howard-Brook and Sue Ferguson Johnson
Many vivid images are squeezed into this week’s Gospel passage from Luke (17.5-10), including one of the oddest in all the gospels: a tree being “planted” in the sea. Understanding this puzzling passage is even more challenging because the lectionary cuts it out of context. We need to start by taking a step back to listen to what’s going on at this point in Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. Continue reading “Beyond Christian Duty Into the Way of Jesus”
When The Carnival Came to the Twin Cities
By Tommy Airey (all photos from Tim Nafziger)
Everything being a constant carnival, there is no carnival left.
Victor Hugo
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The past two weekends, Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneapolis showcased the Carnival de Resistance, a traveling arts carnival and ceremonial theater company performing at the intersection of ecological justice and radical theology. These performers converged upon the Twin Cities during the month of September, migrating from the four corners of North America to reclaim and reframe the biblical prophetic tradition. They combined their standard four productions into two: “Rooted Wind” and “Burning River” (playing on Friday and Saturday on consecutive weekends). But the bulk of their month-long residency was devoted to uplifting projects and voices that are indigenous to this watershed, the mostly white crew consistently passing the baton to Native American leaders, people of color and women, those well-acquainted with the kind of grief and passionate resistance that it will take to create and construct Something sustainable in a culture well-adept at fooling itself into thinking America ever was great. Continue reading “When The Carnival Came to the Twin Cities”
