From Sacrifice to Gift

The Bible—this library of ancient documents, written over centuries by many authors—presents the modern reader with significant challenges. Inspired by the beauty of a psalm or the mercy of Jesus’ words, we turn the page only to read something that feels violent or backward. How can we hold this text as sacred story when much of what we find in its pages is clearly not good?

In this series, we aim to hold the Bible as a library with a trajectory. As humanity grows and its apprehension of God becomes richer, we see a record of movement forward from sacrifice to gift, from vengeance to mercy, from exclusion to inclusion, from ideas of divine violence to demonstration of divine solidarity. We’ll explore how passages that seem violent to us today, represented a move forward in the author’s time and culture—and how these stories can inspire us to look for where the Divine beckons us forward, today.

The Bible As Trajectory

The Bible—this library of ancient documents, written over centuries by many authors—presents the modern reader with significant challenges. Inspired by the beauty of a psalm or the mercy of Jesus’ words, we turn the page only to read something that feels violent or backward. How can we hold this text as sacred story when much of what we find in its pages is clearly not good?

In this series, we aim to hold the Bible as a library with a trajectory. As humanity grows and its apprehension of God becomes richer, we see a record of movement forward from sacrifice to gift, from vengeance to mercy, from exclusion to inclusion, from ideas of divine violence to demonstration of divine solidarity. We’ll explore how passages that seem violent to us today, represented a move forward in the author’s time and culture—and how these stories can inspire us to look for where the Divine beckons us forward, today.

Reading the Text with Womanist Theology

In Epiphany the church basks in the light of Christ revealed to us. Yet simultaneously we live in a world divided by difference, riven by power structures that alienate and marginalize. To our surprise, the light of God shines upon us from the other, as God listens attentively to the voice of cries from the wilderness. In showing mercy to the oppressed, God is revealed to them in ways the powerful do not know, so that our salvation is wrapped up into listening to their voices.

This sermon series situates us as attentive listeners to theological voices that cry out from the wildernesses of oppression and injustice in our society. We will train our attention on global voices that articulate the theological vision of the oppressed. This week, we consider the voice of Womanist Theology.

Interested in reading more from this voice? You can find recommended books here.

Voices from the Wilderness: The Witness of Womanist Theology

In Epiphany the church basks in the light of Christ revealed to us. Yet simultaneously we live in a world divided by difference, riven by power structures that alienate and marginalize. To our surprise, the light of God shines upon us from the other, as God listens attentively to the voice of cries from the wilderness. In showing mercy to the oppressed, God is revealed to them in ways the powerful do not know, so that our salvation is wrapped up into listening to their voices.

This sermon series situates us as attentive listeners to theological voices that cry out from the wildernesses of oppression and injustice in our society. We will train our attention on global voices that articulate the theological vision of the oppressed. This week, we consider the voice of Womanist Theology.

Interested in reading more from this voice? You can find recommended books here.

Reading the Text with Indigenous Theology

In Epiphany the church basks in the light of Christ revealed to us. Yet simultaneously we live in a world divided by difference, riven by power structures that alienate and marginalize. To our surprise, the light of God shines upon us from the other, as God listens attentively to the voice of cries from the wilderness. In showing mercy to the oppressed, God is revealed to them in ways the powerful do not know, so that our salvation is wrapped up into listening to their voices.

This sermon series situates us as attentive listeners to theological voices that cry out from the wildernesses of oppression and injustice in our society. We will train our attention on global voices that articulate the theological vision of the oppressed. This week, we continue to consider the voice of Indigenous Theology that calls us to the Harmony Way.