Faith and Justice Update | February 2024
Working for Justice in the Midst of a World at WarFebruary 2024 I have come to understand the overarching story of the scripture is the story of a people group struggling to survive and flourish in a fallen world that is hell-bent on crushing the image of God on earth. God's clap-back to the Fall, including war, is to first plant the vision of shalom in the hearts of the people. This month, we began a new season of Public Theology: The Work of Justice by focusing on the long history of war in Palestine. We learned that faith in a God of justice and peace, despite so much overwhelming evidence to the contrary, will require those who believe in this God to work for justice and peace in the world. As we continue this learning in the coming months, thanks to a number of generous grants, we will be hosting in-person events in San Francisco, New York City, Philadelphia, and Berkeley. We hope to see you soon!
March 3: Join us this Sunday for a Conversation about Gender, Politics, and JusticeWe're kicking off March by talking with Isaac Sharp, author of The Other Evangelicals: A Story of Liberal, Black, Progressive, Feminist, and Gay Christians––and the Movement That Pushed Them Out. Join us this Sunday – in person (childcare available) or online!
March: Gender, Politics, and JusticeDuring March, we will explore the ways in which faith, gender, and politics are deeply intertwined. We will see that history is contingent and the present is always undergoing dynamic construction. That means how we tell our stories, the choices we make, and how we relate to one another today matter deeply for the future. By learning how fundamentalist and conservative evangelical worked tirelessly to (re)shape notions of gender and politics, we will learn how people of faith can work for injustice as well as justice.
April 14: Generous Dialogue in an Age of Religious Violence (NYC)How can we come together to work for justice when religious differences so often pull people and communities apart? Join us in NYC for a probing conversation about the limits and possibilities of inter-religious dialogue in the work of justice. This is an in-person event at the Riverside Church in the City of New York.
May 18: Spring Gathering on Racial Justice and Faith (Philadelphia)Our spring gathering in Philadelphia will focus on our central question for the month of May: How has Christianity contributed to the making of race throughout history and what can be done about it today? We will hear from three of our teaching fellows, go on a historic walking tour focusing on "The Decolonizing Faith of the Historic Black Church in Philadelphia" (led by Lisa Sharon Harper), and conclude in the evening with a fishbowl conversation with leading evangelical voices talking about “A Theo-Ethical Vision for Evangelicals Beyond 2024.”
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The Faith and Justice Network
Seeking Faith, Learning Justice
Imagining Life Together December 2024 After an amazing fall season, we are looking with great anticipation to 2025. This January, we will gather once again in San Francisco to imagine life together as a way to move with faith into the future. Hahrie Han, Paula Williams, Yii-Jan Lin, and Angela Parker will guide us into a new season of learning about the work of justice. Imagination is a powerful discipline of hope, enabling us to envision spiritual community in an ever-evolving world. As...
The Meaning of Good Friday March 2024 A word that meant “holy” in Old English, “good” today signifies many things. To be sure, both words have taken a beating in our time. But on this day, during an Easter season where hope feels incredibly distant and out of reach, Good Friday reminds us that what is good and holy in life endures and cannot be suppressed or eradicated by all the pain and sadness of the world. In fact, Good Friday is good preparation for April, when we will learn about...
Neighborology: From the Way of Jesus to the Work of Justice January 2024 Our neighbors are not concerned with our christology, but they show, from time to time, their interest in our "neighborology."––Kosuke Koyama We make this shift every year around this time – from Spiritual Theology: The Way of Jesus during the fall months, we turn our attention in the spring to Public Theology: The Work of Justice. Or to borrow Koyama’s language, we turn from Christology to Neighborology, knowing all the...