Jesus and Protest (Part 1)

March 2, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

In one sense, it was a religious act for those who considered faithfulness to the Jubilee [debt cancellation] of the Torah to be faithfulness to the God of the Torah. But it was also an economic and political act too. Read more

Gaining the World, Losing One’s Humanity (Part 3)

February 26, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

Yet what’s at stake is larger than democracy. As Jesus called his followers, we’re called to find and reclaim our humanity. Read more

Gaining the World, Losing One’s Humanity (Part 2)

February 24, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

The concern is not partisan politics. The concern is humanity, the common good, the good of the country, basic humanity including their own, and democracy itself. Read more

Gaining the World, Losing One’s Humanity (Part 1)

February 23, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

That is the political or social context in which we must understand the above passage. With this context, we can most safely reclaim and understand the ‘must’ language of the passage. Read more

Salt, Light, and Cautious Optimism, Part 3

February 19, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

We can exhale deep relief from the political transition we have just witnessed. And we can take up the work once again, of pushing a new, diverse administration toward policies and systemic change that help make our world a safe, compassionate, just home for everyone. Read more

Salt, Light, and Cautious Optimism, Part 2

February 17, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

It will not be enough to see a more diverse neoliberalism in response to the last four years of neo-facism. We will have to see if the inclusion of more diverse voices will allow those included to change the very systems they’re joining. Read more

Salt, Light, and Cautious Optimism, Part 1

February 15, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

Compassion and safety for everyone are just two plants that grow in the soil of a healthy society. When certain voices are marginalized or pushed to the fringes, however, their absence depletes the social soil. Read more

Learning to Listen, Part 3

February 9, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

Jesus modeled listening to those who belong to oppressed communities, and going deeper through that listening. I believe those who follow Jesus today can and must do the same. Read more

Learning to Listen, Part 2

February 3, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

What we are encountering in this gospel story today would today be called intersectionality. Read more

Learning to Listen, Part 1

February 1, 2021 By Herb Montgomery

This passage may be speaking about ways that oppressed and disinherited people can allow the sacred and valuable space inside them to be used by their oppressors. Read more