This story that so many White Christians hold dear puts God on the side of these lost Black lives. And where we stand, whether in solidarity, neutrality, devil’s advocacy, indifference, or even opposition, reveals where we stand in relation to the God of the Jesus story. We are only with this God when we are with them. Read more
Even today when you do a simple image search for Jesus, you’ll get ten or more images of a Jesus on a cross for every single image of a shepherd. Early Jesus followers had a very different focus. Read more
It’s a story that is intended to awaken in us the choice to shape a different kind of society, where those presently marginalized are centered, where surviving is replaced with thriving, a society that is a safe, compassionate, just home for everyone. Read more
The kind of repentance that leads to that kind of forgiveness, then, is a social rethinking of the current social course of injustice and implies a society, not just a few individuals, choosing to embrace a different path filled with a more just set of policies for the polity. Read more
The gospels’ post resurrection appearance stories follow a familiar pattern that meets the expectations of the communities each version was written for. Read more
We must be careful not to spiritualize these elements. What is does concrete good news look like in our social context today? Read more
“I understand this is a subtle difference in interpretation but it creates a huge difference in how we response to injustice.” Read more
The Jesus of John’s story doesn’t do things instead of us, as our substitute so we don’t have to do them. This Jesus calls his followers to participate in his actions alongside him. Read more
God’s power never expresses itself through the humiliation or denigration of another. It does not triumph over life. It conquers death by resurrecting life. Read more
The book of Acts offers just one example of this alternative focus and emphasis; the good news of life-giving, life-conquering, death-reversing, injustice-overturning resurrection. Read more
