Lenten Series: Engaging the Beloved Community
"The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community. The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation. The aftermath of violence is emptiness and bitterness.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke those words in a 1957 speech, Birth of a New Nation. The tenets of nonviolence that King espoused are the basis for envisioning and building the Beloved Community. The Beloved Community, King believed, is a tangible state of community in which there is no hunger, racism, or oppression. Because each person is equally valued, nonviolence is the answer to conflict, and justice reigns. Reaching the Beloved Community requires difficult and long-term community work rooted in love and justice. Today, as our world watches the children of Flint suffer from lead in their water supply and young people of color cry out for justice in their streets, people of faith above all are called to reengage the holy work of building the Beloved Community. Last summer, the General Convention of The Episcopal Church voted to prioritize evangelism and racial reconciliation by allocating significant funds to that work in our Church’s budget. By funding these dual priorities, The Episcopal Church signified to the world that it is ready to fully engage the work of racial reconciliation and justice. As we enter the holy season of Lent on this Ash Wednesday, we invite you to turn in a new direction toward reconciliation, and walk with us as we explore what it means for The Episcopal Church to build the Beloved Community.
http://advocacy.episcopalchurch.org/blog
Discussing Race in Lent: Free Online Series
The Five Free Courses
To take part, you must sign up with ChurchNext.tv. You can access the courses at anytime by clicking on the links below. Each course will guide you from video to questions on content and then downloadable discussion questions that invite you investigate how these topics intersect with your daily life. The individual option offers online interaction with other students, the group option includes a facilitator’s guide.
Spirituality and Racial Justice with Michael Curry
available in For Individuals and For Groups formats.
Whiteness and Racial Justice with Kelly Brown Douglas
available in For Individuals and For Groups formats.
Reparation and Racial Justice with Jennifer Harvey,
available in For Individualsand For Groups formats
Theology and Racial Justice with J. Kameron Carter
available in For Individualsand For Groups formats
Racism and Racial Justice with Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
available in For Individuals and For Groups formats
Potential Outcomes
It is the Church’s responsibility and its privilege to take a leadership role in building racial justice. As Bishop Curry teaches in his class, we must review our history, confront our mistakes with humility and courage, and work to turn our culture in a new direction. It is our responsibility, in short, to find the courage to rise up and follow God away from racial oppression, in the hope that others will follow us. We hope these courses help you and your congregation work effectively with the many people across our country who are striving to build a more just world. For more from ChurchNext on Listen for a Change: Sacred Conversations on Racial Justice and how it might be used during Lent, read their blog post here.
