Part of the role of the theologian is to point to other theologians who are smarter, more astute, more experienced, or more articulate than we are ourselves. To that end, here are a few resources that have been sustaining and provoking me this week, all on topics surrounding the church’s role in issues of the day. I invite you to join me in reflecting on them.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry gave a “Word to the Church” last week that brought with it links to several “Election Season Resources” for inspiring courageous and healing conversations around issues that divide some of our congregations. You can watch the video and connect to the resources. Bishop Curry preaches, in part, “I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, because I believe he has shown us that better way. I believe that the way of unselfish sacrificial love can show us the way of repentance, the way to repair the breach. The way of reconciliation that ultimately can lead us to the beloved community, but it’s not easy. And this is long distance work. There are no quick fixes because the wounds are so deep, but we need not feel enslaved by fate. We are not people of fate. We are people of faith in the God who raised Jesus from the dead. Nothing can defeat God or stop God’s cause of love. The way will not be easy, but we can do this.”
Another resource I found helpful this week was a 2019 blog post by the Rev. Fleming Rutledge ruminating on her theology around abortion. Mother Rutledge is a widely recognized preacher and author who often comes from a more conservative position than I find myself in–but from whom I always receive grace and learning and challenge.
Finally, a third resource is a reflection on “The Episcopal Church’s Lost Causism” by the “Crusty Old Dean,” aka the Rev. Dr. Tom Ferguson. His well-researched blog on the history of the Episcopal Church during and after the Civil War helped correct some of the misinformation I have absorbed during my time in the church.