This conversation was a wild ride through some of the most challenging questions facing progressive Christians today. Malcolm Foley—reverend, scholar, and all-around theology nerd—walked us through his journey from studying Greek church fathers to researching lynching and the Black church’s witness to America. We dug into his book’s central thesis that greed (not just ignorance or hate) is the root of racism, explored why Christians keep trying to serve both God and Mammon despite Jesus being pretty clear about that either/or situation, and wrestled with what it means to pursue justice with moral clarity, fierce perseverance, and nonviolent love. Malcolm challenged us on everything from our electoral anxieties to our tendency to spiritualize away material commitments, reminding us that the church is supposed to be an alternative political-economic community, not just a gathering of people who think the same things. We talked about David Walker’s abolitionist fire, Ida B. Wells’ relentless anti-lynching work, and MLK’s theological commitment to enemy love—and why progressive Christians especially struggle with that last piece. It’s the kind of conversation that makes you simultaneously want to holler “amen” and also maybe go hide because actually following Jesus is way harder than voting for the right candidate.
JOIN THE ONLINE CLASS – The God of Justice: Where Ancient Wisdom Meets Contemporary Longing
This transformative online class brings together distinguished scholars from biblical studies, theology, history, and faith leadership to offer exactly what our moment demands: the rich, textured wisdom of multiple academic disciplines speaking into our contemporary quest for justice. Here you’ll discover how ancient texts illuminate modern struggles, how theological reflection deepens social action, and how historical understanding opens new possibilities for faithful engagement with our world’s brokenness and beauty. Join John Dominic Crossan, Peter Enns, Casey Sigmon, Aizaiah Yong, & Malcolm Foley
As always, the class is donation-based, including 0. INFO & Sign-Up at www.FaithAndPolitics.net
Theology Beer Camp is a unique three-day conference that brings together of theology nerds and craftbeer for a blend of intellectual engagement, community building, and fun. This event features a lineup of well-known podcasters, scholars, and theology enthusiasts who come together to “nerd out” on theological topics while enjoying loads of fun activities. Guests this year include John Dominic Crossan, Kelly Brown Douglas, Philip Clayton, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Jeffery Pugh, Juan Floyd-Thomas, Andy Root, Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Noreen Herzfeld, Reggie Williams, Casper ter Kuile, and more! Get info and tickets here.
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Thank you David E. Roy Ph.D., Vicki Larson, and many others for tuning into my live video! Join me for my next live video in the app.
