oppression | MINISTRY FROM TWO POLES

Posts Tagged ‘oppression

Jul

Marx on Religion & its Role in Oppression (Part 1)

Categories: Economic Theology and Ethics
Tags: Capital, Church, conflict resolution, Economy, Equity, Ethics, group dynamics, history, oppression, Progressive, society

Illusion that Numbs

“Religious distress is at the same time the expression of real distress and the protest against real distress. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is required for their real happiness. The demand to give up the illusion about its condition is the demand to give up a condition which needs illusions.”[i] – Karl Marx, On Religion

Karl Marx has long been considered an absolute critic of religion in general, and Christianity in particular. Parts of the above quote are often used by Christians and non-Christians alike to fully express Marx’s attitude, but rarely are these snippets used within the full context of this excerpt. While this passage is, indeed, criticism it does not represent the scathing and total rejection of the value of religion that many people would have us believe. “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature” does not convey the full meaning of the sentence within which it is contained, and it is rarely connected in context with the remainder, “the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation.” Marx’s stance is, I believe, more correctly interpreted as a critique of society that has become heartless and spiritless – one in which, however ineffective it may be, religion attempted to be society’s missing heart and provide some hope for those in need. Continue reading ‘Marx on Religion & its Role in Oppression (Part 1)’

Jul

An Episcopalian Triple Play. Arms wide open – well, kind of.

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Ethics, GLBT & Queer Theology and Justice & Mercy
Tags: Christian, Church, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, group dynamics, humility, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, initiatives, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, Theology

It is unlike church hierarchies today to risk alienating anyone, especially large numbers of people, and to risk the secession of member churches and expulsion from a world-wide organization that gives them political and financial clout. It is even more unusual that decisions having those potential outcomes would be made in the name of justice. But, this past week, The Episcopal Church (TEC), the American branch of the Anglican Communion, risked all three possibilities by passing three of their own decisions that throw their doors wide open. Continue reading ‘An Episcopalian Triple Play. Arms wide open – well, kind of.’

Jul

Have you not heard? – Sermon on Mark 1:29-39

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Justice & Mercy and Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Ethics, Faith, God, healing, humility, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Kingdom of God, oppression, PC(USA), poverty, Progressive, reconciliation, Schenectady, Theology

“The time is fulfilled, and the reign of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news!”

Verse 14 points to the message that Jesus is proclaiming in Capernaum, and that the gospel of Mark has at its core. The Good News is that the time of waiting is over and that the Reign of God has begun to take shape among them. That is the message, and Mark – whoever she or he really was – gave us in last week’s and this week’s text the effect the message has.

Without keeping that in mind, Chapter one appears to read like a choppy series of unrelated incidents. While it is true that the gospel showed us last week Jesus’ power as an exorcist, and this week as a healer, it isn’t trying to tell us, “Hey, this guy Jesus is a great preacher … and exorcist … and healer!” The gospel is telling us about the Good News in this opening summary – the gospel of the Reign of God – and starting to flesh out what it looks like from a purely Markan perspective. Jesus is not only the bearer and herald of the Good News of the Reign of God; Jesus is the Good News of the Kingdom. Where Jesus is, the kingdom has drawn near. Continue reading ‘Have you not heard? – Sermon on Mark 1:29-39’

Jul

Lifesaving Stations (Part 2) – the Sermon

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, Liberation theology and Sermons & Studies
Tags: Church, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, group dynamics, inclusive, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, society, Theology

Continued from “Lifesaving Stations – The Parable“.

In listening to the scripture in the first part of this post, we heard Paul’s hope for a particular church. Yes, it was written to a gentile church almost a couple of thousand years ago, but I think it still expresses some things that are valuable for churches today.

Churches, like any human organizations, can become exclusionary when they seek to insulate themselves from ideological or theological differences. Churches can accomplish this in at least a couple of different ways. Continue reading ‘Lifesaving Stations (Part 2) – the Sermon’

Jul

The Community that is Soulforce

By Rev Andy Little 4 Comments

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Personal Stories
Tags: Christian, Church, conflict resolution, Ethics, GLBT issues, group dynamics, Holy Spirit, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, marriage equality, oppression, PC(USA), Progressive, society, Theology

Two and a half years ago, as I was wasting away in deepest rural Iowa, I had an epiphanic experience. Jenna and I needed some time away from people just like us – white, middle class, middle income, heterosexuals living all together in a community of less than 1,000 people. In actually, we weren’t just like them, which people suspected and then decided it must be that we are strange. And, evidently, they weren’t wrong. Anyway, we went to a Holy Relationships conference in Iowa City, and there met Rev Dr Mel White who was one of the speakers. We also heard about Soulforce.org – a group Mel started to engage in non-violent activism for GLBT causes – especially for those damaged by churches. That day was pivotal for my survival – it saved my mind, if not my life. Continue reading ‘The Community that is Soulforce’

Jul

Summer Patriotism

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Justice & Mercy
Tags: bias, cultural competence, Ethics, history, oppression, poverty, reconciliation, society

The summer seems to be a great season for patriotism. It begins with Memorial Day and ends with Labor Day, well not officially, but certainly in practical terms. Both these holidays celebrate what has made and still makes the U.S. the U.S. – people. In between these holidays, of course, we have Flag Day and Independence Day. July does seem to represent the peak of summer and, I think, the peak of summer patriotic fervor, perhaps a lasting effect of the fireworks and cook-outs. Between the celebrations of people, we celebrate nationhood, freedom and this great land.

Just like a church, however, a nation does not exist without people. The land certainly does, but it is the people who make it a social, political and communal place. Freedom is an empty concept without people – the freedoms we celebrate are those that are the inalienable rights of the people of this land. But just who are these people, you know, the ones who have had this freedom? Continue reading ‘Summer Patriotism’

Jul

The Case of the Disappearing Assets

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Economic Theology, Ethics and Justice & Mercy
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Economy, Equity, Ethics, history, oppression, poverty, society

Background:

The BIA was established on March 11, 1824 and is subsumed under the Department of the Interior as the agency that overseas Indian Affairs. What does “oversea” mean? Essentially it is a policy of treating Native Americans as orphaned children. As long as Indians maintain an identity as primarily a member of a tribe, as opposed to an independent US citizen, they are dealt with differently. The BIA, among other functions, is charged with “holding” Indian owned assets (land and the proceeds from the land) for the benefit of the Indians.

The “land” is that which was ratified by the Congress in 1895 as owned by Indians tribes and their members. These assets are “held” in trust – therefore, there is a fiduciary responsibility to maintain the assets solely for the benefit of the owners. In the past, only if Indians removed themselves from themselves from collective ownership of land would benefits accrue to them.

The Bureau administers 43,450,266.97 acres of tribally owned land, 10 million acres of individually owned land, and 309,189 acres of federally owned land held in trust status. The BIA is also responsible for leasing the land for agricultural use and managing the land for the removal of natural resources from the land. The lease payments and mineral right royalties are collected by the BIA and held in trust to be paid to the Indians. At any given point in time $2.5 billion is in the combined Individual Indian Money and Tribal Accounts

On June 10, 1996, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), together with a number of attorneys, representing individual Native Americans, filed a class action lawsuit against the federal government claiming that the government failed to properly manage Indian Trust funds. Continue reading ‘The Case of the Disappearing Assets’

Jun

Liberation Theology and Globalization (Part 1)

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Ethics and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, Capital, Christian, conflict resolution, Economy, Ethics, history, Liberation theology, marriage equality, oppression, Progressive, Theology

Economic theology, or the place where economics and theology collide, is a favorite topic of mine. It is sometimes cumbersome, as it is an odd mix of subjects. This is an essay from 2005 that seems like it fits the times in so many ways. I may edit it as time permits, but offer it up for your thoughts.

GLOBALIZATION – THE THREAT

One of the primary characteristics of liberation theology is contextuality – the manner in which each specifically incorporates or combats the traditions, experiences, myths, histories and, of course, resulting worldviews of the populations for whom it is developed. Without the specificity of each theology to its beneficiaries, it would remain as foreign as the colonial or imperial theology whose cultural impact it is generally seeking to mitigate. The point of liberation theology is not simply to provide a theological framework within which each population could find its own liberating thought and belief, although undoubtedly a critical first step, but also to free them from the rampant marginalization, oppression and poverty under which they continue to live. Continue reading ‘Liberation Theology and Globalization (Part 1)’

Jun

The Women’s Media Center

By Rev Andy Little 2 Comments

Categories: Ethics and Feminist theology
Tags: conflict resolution, cultural competence, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, inclusive, oppression, Progressive, reconciliation

Showing more ignorance than I care to, this website just now came to my attention. Why I have not found it before I don’t know, but I am glad it’s now on my radar screen. The reason I came across The Women’s Media Center in the first place was an article by Debra Haffner, “Common Ground” is Reducing the Need for Abortion, which is well worth the effort to read. It makes several compelling arguments. I strongly recommend it to anyone – no matter their opinion on abortion.

The Women’s Media Center has many other contributors and, from what I have read, the quality is as high or higher than other mainline publications and websites. I am subscribing to their news feed, simply because this a particular area of interest for me and this website is more informative than most I have found. Continue reading ‘The Women’s Media Center’

Jun

The Continuum of Sexuality

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: bias, GLBT issues, homophobia, inclusive, oppression, society

In response to a question, “What if a heterosexual becomes a homosexual?”

I am inclined to think that the sexual dichotomy of hetero- and homo-sexuality is what is wrong. Given an environment in which no outside forces were exerted, people would land wherever they felt led on the continuum of sexuality. For people towards the outer limits of the continuum their sexual inclinations would be clear – either same gender or opposite gender attraction. I think, however, that there aren’t too many people dwelling at these extremes. So you have what I believe to be the majority of people – those dwelling in the more central places on the continuum. Continue reading ‘The Continuum of Sexuality’

Jun

My Recovery From Homophobia

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology and Personal Stories
Tags: bias, conflict resolution, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, God, homophobia, inclusive, marriage equality, oppression

This post was actually written about two years ago, in response to the the musings of a Soulforce member about the nature of sexuality. It includes very personal information, but I think it’s worth the risk for the discussion.

I think Daniel’s notion of a continuum is immensely important. I also think it explains a lot of fear on the part of people who are concerned about where they fall on that continuum. I dare say that if we look at any line that represents a continuum, very few of us are found at either extreme. I am an introvert who is reasonably confortable being extroverted. I am an intellectual who is driven to do physical things – woodworking, gardening – in order to feel complete. There are so many scales that this kind of analysis could go on forever, but hopefully I’ve made that point. Continue reading ‘My Recovery From Homophobia’

Jun

oh! you’re childless – a new parable

By Rev Andy Little 1 Comment

Categories: Justice & Mercy and Liberation theology
Tags: bias, biblical authority, Christian, Church, Ethics, homophobia, inclusive, Liberation theology, marriage equality, oppression, Schenectady, society

I’m doing something different. This is a story that will develop over time. I’d like to incorporate your thoughts into it – which means, obviously, you have to give me some. I’ll make it sticky for a while – at least, until I think it’s done.

Kim and Leslie were descendents of the original settlers on Terra – the fourth generation to live on this distant planet colonized by the United States. They had been together for over twelve years – years during which they suffered estrangement from “polite society” and were subject to pointing fingers, pursed lips, derision and even a couple of instances of violence. There was no doubt they did not belong, but they knew no other place, no other home, such as it was. They had long resigned themselves to living on the fringe of Terra community. Kim and Leslie were not alone in their plight, being part of a minority that was ignored in demographic research. Continue reading ‘oh! you’re childless – a new parable’

Jun

Faith-Based Homophobia: ‘An Appalling Christian Moral Failure’

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics, GLBT & Queer Theology and Justice & Mercy
Tags: Christian, Church, conflict resolution, cultural competence, Ethics, Faith, GLBT issues, God, healing, homophobia, humility, inclusive, marriage equality, oppression, Progressive, reconciliation, society, Theology

Lawrence from First Light provided the following article with brief commentary preceding it. At usual, there is no need to add commentary at this point.

You might expect such an evaluation from people in our own community, or from parents, family, friends and allies. But the conclusion comes from an unexpected source.

I’ve spoken about the organization “Faith in America” before, a group that, like Soulforce, attempts to communicate the harm done by faith-based bigotry against TLGB people. And I think I’ve also mentioned “Crisis,” the book compiled by FIA founder Mitchell Gold in support of that effort, which was published earlier this year. Gold has just sent an email alert to friends and members of FIA regarding a review of the book which has appeared — to his surprise — in the publication The Christian Century. The surprise isn’t that this progressive periodical printed the review; it’s that the review was written by a relatively conservative Baptist minister who teaches Christian ethics at Mercer University. Continue reading ‘Faith-Based Homophobia: ‘An Appalling Christian Moral Failure’’

May

Dallas Principles

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: GLBT & Queer Theology, Justice & Mercy and Marriage & Sexuality
Tags: cultural competence, Ethics, GLBT issues, inclusive, initiatives, marriage equality, Obama, oppression, Progressive, reconciliation, Schenectady, society

No-one has commented on more lucidly, nor collected articles about, The Dallas Principles than Lawrence at First Light. I am posting his comments and articles he cited here, minus any identifying details, since First Light is a membership based list serve. Feel free to go to the link and sign up if you are allied to the cause of LGBT equality.

The meeting in Dallas which produced “The Dallas Principles” is another in a recent series of efforts by grassroots and out-of-the-mainstream activists to stimulate greater popular initiative and control over lobbying to achieve greater TLGB equality. In many ways, it seems to me that it’s at least partly a reaction against the failure of ‘official’ activist groups to defeat Prop. 8 in California last year, and partly an expanding anger and unhappiness over the go-slow approach of national groups like The Human Rights Campaign, which seem to be unwilling to make hard demands of persons in power.

The strength of the Dallas 24, who met to hammer out some foundational goals of the TLGB community in 2009, seems to me to be that they are not tied to top-heavy bureaucracies with huge budgets that support highly-paid staff with power, status and positions to protect. Perhaps their weakness is pretty much the same: they have no official standing, no ongoing structure, little serious connections to the people in power, and are just as much self-selected as the organizations which they believe are failing to achieve community goals quickly enough.

Despite a flurry of media releases, they’ve gotten precious little mainstream news coverage. What they have going for them are basically internet blogging audiences (how large? unknown), some potential funding resources (how much? unknown) and initial enthusiasm and desire to make an impact (how lasting? unknown). The Dallas Principles are scarcely arguable, but their influence is very much up in the air. But if you’re weary of the questionable pace and product of the ‘big boys’ of community lobbying, you have nothing to lose by checking out the Dallas bunch. Continue reading ‘Dallas Principles’

May

Mary’s Song – Magnificat Not Just for Advent

By Rev Andy Little Leave a Comment

Categories: Ethics and Sermons & Studies
Tags: biblical authority, Christ, Christian, Church, Ethics, Faith, Feminist theology, God, healing, humility, IMAGE OF GOD, inclusive, Jesus, Kingdom of God, Liberation theology, oppression, PC(USA), poverty, Progressive, reconciliation, Schenectady, Theology

Normally, we hear this passage in Advent. It prompts images of the gift of God that coincides nicely with our gifts at Christmas. The gift of God in the person of Christ, however, is not limited to one short period in the Christian year – it is ongoing 24/7, 365, year after year. It is the gift that keeps on giving no matter the season.

In return we are meant, as Christians, to be a gift to the world – again, not just at Christmastime, but in all times. This is not a passage for one season, but one for all seasons. Even though we tend to reserve Christmas for the anticipation of the coming Messiah, that too is a constant expectation.

So, this morning, we’re going to continue to wait, while listening again to the song of Mary. Read Luke 1:46-55. Continue reading ‘Mary’s Song – Magnificat Not Just for Advent’

WELL, HELLO! YOU’RE HERE.

That's too bad - I'm so sorry. Oh, well, just try to make the best of it. What you'll find here is a variety of essays and ramblings to do with things theological, social, whimsical and, sometimes, all three. I don't write to get famous - trust me, I've been told how futile that would be - but to express myself. I love to communicate and browbeat - ummm, I mean dialogue - about the things I find intriguing. Since you're here, and the door's locked, why don't you stay a while. There's a page bar under the header with links to information about us - I mean me. Don't forget to tell me what you think - in a nice way, I mean.