Coffee Chat | Dr. King & Strong Theology

As we think about Martin Luther King, Jr., I remember how a book by Thomas C. Oden and a strong Theology course tied some things together.[1]

Thomas Oden has written, among other books, How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity.[2]

Dr. King & strong Theology (1:46)

Coffee Chat, see recipe in notes [3]

The Early Church encompasses the whole Roman Empire and beyond, including much of N. Africa. Many believe the Apostle Mark goes there and his community of faith eventually flowers into the famous Alexandrian church, library, school, and Bishopric. From that time, we know many of the Church Fathers are indeed African, especially the Desert Fathers.

At one point, when much of the Roman Empire is being overrun by a much older form of Islam, Ethiopia remains as the only Christian nation.

We have much to be thankful for, not only because of great church leaders in America like Martin Luther King, Jr., but also because of those very Early Church Fathers from Africa who assist in charting the course from the outset of our more ancient Kingdom.

In some ways, their freedoms and collective voice within the Early Church in their time, stands as a witness against the segregation Dr. King begins to quell in our time.

notes:

[1] Dr. King Facebook: facebook.com/MartinLutherKingJr
[2] Thomas C. Oden, How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity (InterVarsity Press, 2010) ivpress.com/how-africa-shaped-the-christian-mind
[3] Today’s choice, Yerba Mate loose leaf tea (pronounced mah-tay)

Karol-Majewski-Yerba-Mate-Unsplash — *Karol Majewski | A small, transparent bag of yerba mate leaves. | 09.14.19 | unsplash*

Brew in a small open pot to release the flavor and aroma because tea bags restrict the expansion and keep the tea from circulating in the water
Fill water 3/4 full so it doesn’t boil over
Briefly stir in 2 Tablespoons of loose leaf, maybe a little more or less to taste
After rolling boil, remove pot from stove eye, and cover the pot for 6 minutes to steep
Fill thermos for the day with hot water, because if you pour into a cold cup you lose 10 degrees
Use strainer and coffee filter (or tea towel), and pour through both because some of the Yerba Mate is very fine as well
After you strain it into the thermos, pour some into your cup of choice. I recommend pairing it with lemon, maybe also lime, and it can be drank hot or cold