God on the Picket Line, in the Subway Tunnel, under the Rubble in Gaza
KTF Weekly Newsletter
Hi Everyone,
Our November bonus episode on Israel and Palestine is out tomorrow for paid subscribers. If you’re not a paid subscriber, get a free month here so you can listen!
Sy’s off for the newsletter this week, and no newsletter next week. But now, Jonathan’s got your regular weekly dose of highlights to help us leave colonized faith for the kingdom of God. Let’s get started!
Jonathan’s recommendations:
This article tells the story of a woman named María who, like many of her fellow Ecuadorian immigrants to New York City, sells candy in the subways to make a living. She pays $800 a month for a section of an apartment’s living room in Queens and makes anywhere from $10 to $50 a day. There are many like her, undocumented, fleeing violence and instability to provide a better life for their families. She doesn’t go anywhere without her two-year-old child. And so it is there we see them on the platforms and in tunnels, at least when they are not running from police who could fine them for not having a license to sell. This article is a reminder to honor the image of God in the people we see each day by learning the details of their circumstances, instead of reducing them to their identities for our political ends.
In our current media landscape, we usually hear mention of the Gospel when the Religious Right uses it to justify causes that are antithetical to the way of Christ. But as CNN’s John Blake says in this article, this was not always the case. And just recently, United Auto Worker President Shawn Fain quoted Matthew 17 on his way to leading strikes against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, invoking Christ as the champion of the downtrodden. Blake places this moment in its historical context, noting a rise in leaders citing their faith on the political left. Followers of Jesus need to know both the history of the schism between the social gospel and the fundamentalists/evangelicals, as well as ways to pray and act out our faith outside this binary.
Over 100 years ago, the US Army convicted 110 Black soldiers for participating in a violent riot in Houston. It executed 13 of them. They were part of the segregated 3rd Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, popularly known as the Buffalo Soldiers. But they didn’t riot; they only defended themselves against violence when they were stationed in the Jim Crow South. This week, the Army pardoned them, set aside their convictions, honorably discharged them, and promised a pathway for their descendants to receive veteran’s benefits. This piece tells the story of the institutional racism that prevented them from participating in society, carrying out their duties as soldiers, and living as full citizens in the country for which they fought. There is much to lament and celebrate, to mourn and rejoice in the wake of this year’s Veterans Day, and we would do well to remember God’s desire for truth, justice, and reconciliation.
Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac delivered this powerful sermon in Palestine on October 22. He said, speaking of the people of Gaza, “We prayed. We prayed for their protection … and God did not answer us, not even in the ‘house of God’ were church buildings able to protect them. Our children die before the silence of the world, and before the silence of God. How difficult is God’s silence! Today we cry out with the psalmists: My God, my God, why did you leave Gaza? How long will you forget her completely? Why do you hide your face from her? In the daytime I call upon you, but you do not answer; by night we find no rest.” He continued in this way, adapting Psalms 13, 22, and 88. I pray you sit before this piece in a listening posture, ready to hear from and respond to a fellow believer who seeks God’s and our assistance in ending this violent conflict.
Shake the Dust preview
For this month’s bonus episode, Jonathan and Sy are talking about the conflict in Israel and Palestine. They discuss how they both approach thinking about the occupation as people leaving colonized faith, the difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, how to engage media and advocacy on this subject in an emotionally healthy way, and a lot more. Please write in to shakethedust@ktfpress.com to let us know what you think about the episode, or to ask us any questions you have!
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
Jonathan and Sy