How are you positioning yourself between people experiencing oppression and those calling for and actively engaging in their subjugation? How are you reflecting and affirming the sacred beauty present in those experiencing marginalization?
I ask these questions because I think it’s necessary for us to consider how we are physically, materially, and politically oriented as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus. Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Our Transgender Children
“Sasha” (not her real name) has just finished the third grade. She began her school year with the name given her at birth, a name reflecting that she was originally gender identified as “male.” By the end of the year, she had chosen a new name, and we were referring to her by her preferred… Read More
The Pastoral Is Political: Free Pastor Betty Rendón!
Last Wednesday night, I gathered with ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod Bishop Paul Erickson and a couple hundred clergy and community members outside of the Kenosha Detention Center for a prayer vigil. That morning I found out that ELCA Synodical Minister: Pastor Betty Rendón, her husband, nephew, and daughter were arrested and detained on May 8.… Read More
The Pastoral Is Political: The Person is Political
How many times have we heard—or even used—the words, “It isn’t personal”? Usually these words are used to apply procedural and policy guidelines to everyone regardless of who they are. And there is a sense in which that is fair and a good thing. Yet in another way, these words mean “I am not interested… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Release to the Captives
In Jesus’ inaugural sermon, he identifies his mission by quoting the prophet Isaiah: “The spirit of the Lord . . . has sent me to proclaim release to the captives . . . to let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18). And while I am not, technically speaking, a biblical literalist, I have come to… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: #BeatingGuns
The grief that visited that church on the west side of Cleveland in Holy Week, rippling out in concentric circles from the gravesides of the lost, had already found its own transformation into activism, intervention, wrestling a new life out of the death that interrupted families and upended the lives of countless others. Read More
The Pastoral is Political: I Still Carry My White Privilege With Me
From the daughter of a RevGal teaching in Japan: This past Saturday I went to a local mall in Tokushima to do some shopping with my girlfriend, J. As we were walking to the ATMs, a few preteen girls and a mom came walking toward us from the opposite direction. I heard the girls start… Read More
The Pastoral Is Political: Release Barabbas
“Release Barabbas for us!” (Luke 23:18) In Bangladesh, an 18-year-old student named Nusrat Jahan Rafi has died from the trauma of being set on fire, an attacked that caused 80% burn injuries on her body. The student had accused the school principal, an influential local leader, of attempted rape. Her family received threats after the… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Leadership is for Wimps
Here in Baltimore we have a mayoral scandal, you can read more about it here. This week another cabinet member left the Trump Administration. Our political system is broken. We are not the first society and I know we won’t be the last. As we approach Holy Week my thoughts turn to leadership. Not just… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Trans Visibility and Equality
Yesterday was International Transgender Visibility Day—a day to celebrate transgender people and raise awareness of discrimination faced by trans people around the world. Like International Women’s Day, Worlds AIDS Day, and International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers, one day isn’t enough. Sex Workers, AIDS, Women, and Transgender folks—we all deserve more than 1/365th… Read More
