Jacksonville, Environmental Victory in Ecuador, Afghanistan Two Years Later
KTF Weekly Newsletter
Hey everyone,
This is the last week to enter a drawing for one of three free digital tickets to the Evolving Faith conference by clicking the button below and signing up as an annual paid subscriber to this Substack, or upgrading to a founding member subscription. Don’t miss your chance!
And now, let’s get to this week’s highlights to help us leave colonized faith for the kingdom of God!
Jonathan’s Recommendations
Sixty years ago this week, 250,000 people converged on the National Mall to contend for civil rights for Black Americans. The leaders were Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights activists whose names now fill history books, at least the books Republicans want to ban. This podcast from the Washington Post reflects on the oral history that the Post recently published to commemorate the event, highlights the march’s triumphs and shortcomings, and examines the long march ahead for the African diaspora in the United States today. Listening to the stories of people who were present on the Mall in 1963 reminds me that Black history is powerful and the imperative to share it is growing in urgency as more states seek to keep it out of schools. Truth is important to God, and I’m grateful that there are journalists, researchers, historians, and activists willing and able to preserve and protect it wherever they can.
(content warning for violent racism and guns) On Saturday, a racist White gunman armed with an AR-15 murdered Angela Carr in her vehicle, A.J. Laguerre as he fled the gunfire, and Jerrald Gallion as he stood in the doorway of a Dollar General in Jacksonville, Florida. He later turned the gun on himself. Governor Ron DeSantis spoke at a vigil a few days later but the crowd loudly booed him. Critics denounced his failure to explicitly condemn White supremacy during his remarks, and accused him of stoking the hatred behind the shooting through policies that dehumanize Black people and strip educators of tools to combat racist ideology. In these moments of fear, anger, frustration, and sadness—all emotions I am feeling right now—I often retreat to spiritual disciplines. I encourage you to do the same. Bread for the Resistance by Donna Barber is one devotional I highly recommend for doing just that.
Two years ago, the United States ended the longest war in its history when it pulled out of Afghanistan. This Frontline documentary examines the long relationship between the Taliban, Afghanistan, and the United States, as well as the current state of the country’s failing healthcare system, its struggling economy, its increasingly strict patriarchy, and more. I encourage you to pray as you watch for all of those involved – especially the most vulnerable downstream of the conflict.
Sy’s Recommendations
Ahead of tomorrow’s episode of Shake the Dust (more on that below), I wanted to share as background this article that explains the wild fires in Maui in the context of the fight over native water rights. Historically, Maui was not a dry place. But years of Americans exploiting the land for sugar and then tourism created the conditions for the recent blaze. On top of that, real estate developers are using the fire as a pretext to divert more water to their projects while trying to oust state officials who stand in their way. It’s an ugly fight, and you can tune in to the podcast tomorrow morning to hear more about how you can pray and give toward justice in Hawaiʻi.
This recommendation is more like a prayer request. Ever since our season 1 Shake the Dust episode with Dr. Lamar Hardwick, we’ve shared updates on various channels about his on-going struggle with cancer. He recently announced that he is stepping down as the pastor of his church because the healing process is taking up too much of his time and energy. Please watch the linked video, which is gracious and hopeful amidst the sadness, and pray for Pastor Hardwick. You can also show your support for him by pre-ordering his next book, titled How Ableism Fuels Racism: Dismantling the Hierarchy of Bodies in the Church.
Last week, Ecuadorian indigenous and environmental activists pulled off an historic political victory, winning a referendum that prevents oil drilling in a large swath of the Amazon. This article by a political science professor who studies the country’s extractive industries lays out the context. For a long time, the oil industry in the amazon has destroyed the forest while making its inhabitants sick, taking their land, and causing significant armed conflict. The assassination of a candidate for president sent the country into political chaos just before election day, while the activists behind the referendum faced threats to their safety and lives as they travelled the Amazon registering indigenous people to vote. But in the middle of all that, the referendum passed with 59% support. It’s a win that will stop annual greenhouse gas emissions approximately equivalent to those of France. It’s really worth celebrating, and the article gives some details about the activists’ work still to come, for which you all can pray.
Shake the Dust Preview
Our guest tomorrow is Dani Espiritu, a native Hawaiian educator, minister, and activist (as well as one of the authors from our anthology). We talk about the wildfires in Maui, her activism around the Oʻahu water crisis, Hawaiʻi’s complicated history with Christianity, and theology about our relationships with land and cultural stories. Dani is a deep, compassionate thinker and a sharp, dedicated advocate. You don’t want to miss this one!
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
Jonathan and Sy