Tag Archives: liberation
Defender of Liberation Theology
Contemplative Activists Defender of Liberation Theology Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Jesuit priest Pedro Arrupe (1907–1991) was a deeply spiritual man who was entirely committed to serving others, particularly the poor in whom he saw Christ. Authors Kerry Walters and Robin Jarrell describe some of the pivotal events of his life: He was three years into… Continue Reading Defender of Liberation Theology
Emancipation
Inner and Outer Freedom Emancipation Wednesday, June 17, 2020 For the kinds of freedom and liberation that are needed today, I am going to use the word “emancipation.” Instead of focusing on the mere personal freedoms enjoyed by individual people, emancipation directs our attention to a systemic level of freedom. With the exception of those… Continue Reading Emancipation
A New Power
Alternative Community A New Power Tuesday, June 2, 2020 In an ideal sense, a community is a safe place. By protecting and nurturing the dignity of its members, the community is sustained even when challenged by external forces. Virgilio Elizondo (1935–2016), a Catholic priest and community organizer from San Antonio, Texas, compared communities formed among… Continue Reading A New Power
Liberation
Ways of Knowing Liberation Thursday, February 13, 2020 James Cone (1938–2018) is one of the greatest American theologians of this past century, yet sadly many Christians have never heard of him. His work laid the foundation for a liberation theology that spoke directly to the injustice, oppression, and violence faced by the Black community in the United States. Jesus made it clear that he came to bring “good news… Continue Reading Liberation
A Fascinating Discovery
Ways of Knowing A Fascinating Discovery Tuesday, February 11, 2020 Those of us who live in the West and experience the privilege of being white tend to gloss over the important fact that Jesus lived in an occupied territory. He was not part of the dominant culture. Rather, his familial and cultural land was occupied by a powerful adversary. This is essential to understanding his teachings and the Gospel. Text without context is… Continue Reading A Fascinating Discovery
Knowing from the Bottom
Ways of Knowing Knowing from the Bottom Monday, February 10, 2020 The vast majority of people throughout history have been poor, disabled, or oppressed in some way (i.e., “on the bottom”) and would have read history in terms of a need for change, but most of history has been written and interpreted from the side of the winners. The unique exception is the revelation called the… Continue Reading Knowing from the Bottom
A Deeper Tenor
Gender and Sexuality A Deeper Tenor Wednesday, October 23, 2019 My deceased friend Walter Wink (1935–2012), a Methodist minister, biblical scholar, theologian, and nonviolent activist, put religion’s struggles with gender and sexuality into historical perspective as another opportunity for learning Jesus’ way of liberation—of both oppressed and oppressors. Where the Bible mentions [same-sex sexual] behavior… Continue Reading A Deeper Tenor
The Four Noble Truths
Taoism and Buddhism The Four Noble Truths Tuesday, August 21, 2018 After his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree, the Buddha sat for some days in his inner liberation, which he called a state of nirvana. As Thich Nhat Hanh explains, “Nirvana means extinction—first of all, the extinction of all concepts and notions. Our concepts about… Continue Reading The Four Noble Truths
The Buddha
Taoism and Buddhism The Buddha Monday, August 20, 2018 My colleague and CAC core teacher James Finley, a student of Buddhism, briefly shares the story of the Buddha’s life to provide some context for Buddhist teachings. The Buddha was born in India about the year 560 BCE and given the name Siddhartha. His father, the… Continue Reading The Buddha
Questioning Our Loyalties
Politics: Week 1 Questioning Our Loyalties Wednesday, July 11, 2018 Most religion is highly “legitimating religion.” It is used for social control and public order by the powers that be and individuals. This oppressive use of religion has allowed much of Christian history to fully cooperate in toxic and unjust societies—just as long as each… Continue Reading Questioning Our Loyalties
