How to Swim Upstream: Transforming Ministry from Conflict to Courage Público
Strickland, Kevin (Spring 2024)
Abstract
We are a storied people. Stories allow us to share ourselves and who we are as a people. Stories also show us how to become what we have not allowed ourselves. Each week, the people of God gather in assembly. Within this assembly, the church gathers in worship. Worship celebrates God’s story in preaching, singing, liturgical language, bread, wine, and water. God’s story and humanity’s story are intertwined.
And yet, God’s story and our own have become more divided and politically partisan. This divide is most evident on Sunday mornings when the Christian assembly gathers for worship. It is as accurate today as it was when Martin Luther King, Jr. said in 1964, “Sunday mornings are the most segregated hour in America.” This racial divide is clearly evident in the majority white denomination of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, especially in the Bible Belt. The racist-rooted geography of the Deep South still springs forth within the sordid stories of the past and creates conflict.
For a denomination like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which has committed itself to the eradication of racism, that necessary work is not always met with optimism or a willingness from all people. Pastors are accused of being “too political” or “too partisan.” People shut down, conflict arises, and the work of fighting racism halts. Working towards that beloved community is possible. Indifference is not an option, and I agree that love and hope provide the strength we need for this work.
In light of this, three related interactions with the laity are necessary: preaching, which involves the laity providing context during sermon preparation and engaging in reflexive theological engagement to evaluate for partisanism; engaging the laity liturgically with word usage of hymnody, prayers, and art that address eradicating racism; and providing conflict transformation tools so congregations can work on breaking down barriers through table talks. By actively listening to one another, we learn that there is far more that unites us than divides us. The people of God need to be engaged in how God’s story calls us to the action of justice for building a beloved community where all are valued and welcomed.
Table of Contents
Contents
Contents......................................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgments and Dedication............................................................................................. iv
Introduction: The Church Needs to Swim into Justice’s Streams........................................... 1
Background: The ELCA Wades in the Water that God’s Gonna Trouble............................. 4
Preaching: Addressing the Epidemic of Racism from the Pulpit to the Public Square....... 10
Liturgy: Baptism That Call Us Towards Justice...................................................................... 18
Conflict Transformation: Tearing Down Walls to Create Tables for Transformation....... 26
Conclusion: Justice Rolling like Streams . . . From the Pulpit to the Public Square............ 30
Appendix A: Interview Questions for ELCA Bishops............................................................. 33
Appendix B: Engaging Preaching Worksheet.......................................................................... 34
Appendix C: Various Worship Resources................................................................................ 41
Appendix D: “Table Talk” Handout......................................................................................... 53
Appendix E: Figures................................................................................................................... 54
Appendix F: “Build a Longer Table”........................................................................................ 55
Appendix G: Agenda for Table Talks....................................................................................... 56
Appendix H: A Litany For Those Who Aren't Ready For Healing (Revised)...................... 57
Bibliography................................................................................................................................ 59
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