Harmonies in rise and fall, fall and rise; Sea’s tide echoes off four block walls of that African church. Across the sandy field with ear to the door, Wave pushing forward, bubbling fervor of breath and Spirit; Souls lifting salty offering, Song of Ascent, poured … Continue reading Sunday Afternoon
Category: Christianity
Retributive Justice, Restorative Justice, and the Gospel
Often people talk about restorative justice as if it's a better alternative to retributive justice. What they get wrong is that restorative justice means nothing if there hasn't been some kind of prior judgment. What is there to restore if that person's status and standing … Continue reading Retributive Justice, Restorative Justice, and the Gospel
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Defending the Guilty
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Defending the Guilty This is a difficult thing to understand, so I ask for some grace with this. The person who defends the guilty is not trying to protect the guilty but is trying to protect the ideal of … Continue reading Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Defending the Guilty
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Competing Narratives
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: the use of anecdotes vs. the use of statistical data There's a lot that could be said here, but simply, I think the problem is that both are necessary for the discussion and both can be used in misleading … Continue reading Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Competing Narratives
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Listening
“People often don’t care what you know until they know that you care.” Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Listening The above quote has stuck with me for the last 8 years now since I first heard it in seminary from my Biblical counseling professor. … Continue reading Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: Listening
Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: systemic racism vs Systemic Racism
Obstacles to a fruitful dialogue on racism: defining systemic racism vs. Systemic Racism. The first is the concept that there are structures and systems which perpetuate race inequalities. The second is a worldview which evolved out of the Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School (something … Continue reading Obstacles to the Dialogue on Racism: systemic racism vs Systemic Racism
Thoughts from a quiet night 