Belafonte, the Forest Defenders, Fighting for Welfare

KTF Weekly Newsletter

Hi everyone,

The media world exploded this week with the news that Tucker Carlson is suddenly out of a job, but we’re not talking about that in this newsletter. His replacement will be the next in a long line of Fox personalities talented at whipping up the worst fears and instincts of white people in America, and they might be better at it than Carlson was. Better to focus on the things that help us move forward in ways that truly matter as we leave colonized faith for the kingdom of God. So here are this week’s highlights.

Jonathan’s Recommendations:

• Sociologist Professor Ruth Braunstein writes for Religion News Service something that we at KTF have known for a long time: “The most recent rise of Christian nationalism has ignited a wave of resistance.” But she specifically highlights that this new resistance includes significant leadership and financial support from white Christians, even though Christians of color and non-Christians have traditionally dominated the space. There are growing numbers of White Christians walking away from the privileged position that those who pledge allegiance to Christian Nationalism enjoy. Praise God for that. But White Christians, just like anyone who holds social power because of oppression, must not only disavow the concept of Christian nationalism but also the system that upholds it. So, White Christians must also leave whiteness, or they risk perpetuating the same oppression they tried to leave while they are present in the resistance. Pray that those white Christians would walk all the way down the road on which they’ve started. Ask God that they would follow the BIPOC and non-Christian leaders who have resisted unholy fascism for much longer than Donald Trump has been a president. Jesus, may it be so.