“The challenges in life aren’t intended to make you fall but to watch you fly like an eagle when you conquer them.” Unknown
Four weeks in July 2002 while my husband was in Florida with the boys, I slaved away at an essay (Progressive Pentecostalism and Urban Social Transformation: Latina Faith-based Activism in NY) that is now about to be published by Oxford University Press. I am thrilled. The name of the book is Latino Religions and Civic Activism in the United States . It is edited by Gastón Espinosa, Virgilio Elizondo and Jesse Miranda. It will be available in both hard back ($74) or paperback ($25). It is a collection of 16 essays and totals 352 pages and will be available Mar 18 2005.
Description: This volume presents sixteen new essays addressing important issues, personalities, and movements in Latino religions in America. The authors’ purpose is to overthrow the longstanding stereotype that Latinos are politically passive and that their churches have supported the status quo, failing to engage in or support that struggle for civil rights and social justice. Individual essays explore such varied topics as “The Mysticism and Social Action of Cesar Chavez,” “The Challenges of Being Latina, Catholic, and Feminist,” “Hispanic Churches in Faith-Based Community Organizing,” and “The Mexican American Cultural Center and the Politics of Cultural Empowerment.” The first anthology of its kind, the book will be an invaluable resource for scholars in a wide range of disciplines, as well as serving as an introductory or supplemental text for courses in religion, politics, and Latino/Chicano studies.
Wow. I can’t believe it. If you are interested in purchasing it for your library, go here. Next up…my book. I got the chapter names. Just don’t know how to make the time. Authors out there… any suggestions!
Today I received Renee Altson’s book, Stumbling toward Faith, I was excited. I love new books, the feel, the smell. I carefully turn it over and read the back, it starts out “i am working out my salvation with fear and trembling, I am at war with doubt and fear and uncertainty, but ultimately i do believe that there is something good and beautiful that still exists.” I said within myself, I reasonate with her. I think we will connect. I go to the next few sentences on back page…”raped by her CHRISTIAN father” (oh no I think to myself!), rejected by CHURCH LEADERS (ohhh, yeah I’ve been THERE!), abandoned by her addicted mother (Lord, how much more!)…further along…”this disturbing, beautiful narrative will unsettle your understandings and assumptions of what it means to live as a believer in christ.” I think to myself, this book will raise some of my own issues with the church but most importantly, it will identify with some of the questions about God that I have struggled with for years even while in the midst of, even now, doing the work of God…still like Renee believing that good and beauty still exist…this will be an interesting book to read…this is day one and I begin that journey.
Oh my…check out this link.
There is a blog called Skippinchurch.com that has an interesting discussion that I feel quite precisely “outs” what my brain has been thinking the last few years. I posted what was written here because I don’t want you to get distracted and NOT GO to the site.
This is what I read:
Today I ran across a website called Skippinchurch.com and it has inspired me to talk about what I’ve been contemplating.
Lately I’ve become bored with “church as usual”. So often we hear dynamic sermons about moving to the next level in our spiritual walk and walking with power and authority, but as each Sunday goes by nothing changes. So, I find myself waking up (exhausted) on Sunday mornings, forced to go to the “house of worship” (because of tradition), and do the same amount of things I would do as if I were sleep at home: breathe and get stale breath.
I’m not encouraging the “forsaking of the fellowship” as the Apostle mentioned in the Bible — but what is the point of unBiblical traditions? Are we to be bound by the rules of man and condemned by church legalism?
Q. Why must I attend church on Sundays? A. Because it’s the Sabbath. R. But we’re no longer bound under the law, I am free to worship Christ any and everyday of the week, and the Sabbath was made for me — I was not made for the Sabbath.
Q. Why must I wear dressy clothes? A. Because you want to look your best and give your best to God. R. I cannot impress God by my attire. My dressy clothes may very well be messy if I don’t iron them. AND, one pair of my jeans and boots cost more than my entire “church clothes” wardrobe. Are they not worth more? Are they not my best?
Q. Why do you condemn me because I don’t act like you do in church? A. The Bible says make a joyful noise until the Lord! Dance in his presence! Shout to Zion! That’s how you’re supposed to praise. R. The Bible doesn’t give a formula for praise. The church is so busy faking praise and worship that they don’t build a relationship with Christ that can keep them from getting broken during the week. You preach prosperity but are the people prospering? You preach love but you condemn people instead of sin. You preach power but are unable to discern my love for God even if I’m not an extrovert.
I suppose, this entry is just my opinion on tradition in the church, as I see it. Too often we are willing to play the part because it looks and sounds good instead of getting closer to God. I’m on the search for a congregation that’s found on: a) Biblical truth, b) love, c) really living for God (not tradition and not religiosity
Download StumblingTowardFaithSample.pdf
On September 7th I will be hosting Renee author of Stumbling Toward Faith and having her share why she decided to write this book. The back cover of the book states “This story of pain, healing, and growth provides insight into how postmodern pilgrims grasp for hope and faith despite frustration and disappointment. This narrative theology aims to help Christian leaders relate the message of Christ to those who feel disenfranchised from the traditional Christian church. Using personal experiences, humor, compelling stories, poetry, and her weblog, author Renee Altson helps readers understand those at the fringes of faith and what motivates them. ” Download the PDF sample chapter above.
Check out this link. I share mostly because we ALL need a good laugh once in a while and we ALL don’t look as good in a thong.
It may surprise some of you but your waiter may have more education than you do! With underemployment at an all-time high, people (I’m living it now) with a good track record, many years of experience and tons of education can’t find a job in the salary range their background dictates. I’ve already cried. Read about it here.
A Pew Study found that :
• About 10 percent of all Latino high school graduates are enrolled in some form of
college compared to 7 percent of the total population of high school graduates.
Only Asians are enrolled at a higher rate.
• There is a substantial enrollment gap between Latinos and all other groups among
18- to 24-year-olds—the traditional age group for college attendance and the
cohort that reaps the greatest economic benefit from a college degree. Only 35
percent of Latino high school graduates in that age group are enrolled in college
compared to 46 percent of whites.
• Latinos are far more likely to be enrolled in two-year colleges than any other
group. About 40 percent of Latino 18- to 24-year-old college students attend twoyear
institutions compared to about 25 percent of white and black students in that
age group.
• Latinos are more likely to be part-time students. Nearly 85 percent of white 18- to
24-year-old college students are enrolled full-time compared to 75 percent of
Latino students in that age group.
• A somewhat greater proportion of Latino high school graduates over the age of 24
years old, some 7 percent, are enrolled in college courses than whites, 5 percent.
While ongoing college education can bring important rewards to adults, students
who attain a degree at the traditional age see greater economic gains.
• Latinos very clearly lag behind in the pursuit of graduate and professional degrees.
Among 25- to 34-year-old high school graduates, nearly 3.8 percent of whites are
enrolled in graduate school. Only 1.9 percent of similarly aged Latino high school
graduates are pursuing post-baccalaureate studies.
God is Not a Republican…or Democrat. Nuff said!Check out the Sojourners website to see what Wallis is up to now in the emerging world of faith, politics and culture.
My workplace friend, Barbara showed me that you can actually defrost a bagel that was frozen while it was fresh and that it can actually be edible when done! I was hungry and I did it. I usually don’t do the “left over thing” or the “defrost anything thing” but the Barbara and the ladies at my job are showing me a thing or two! Who knew!
