Responding to Roe, Republican Rallies, Reversal on Reservations
KTF Weekly Newsletter
Hi everyone,
We have a whole lot on the Supreme Court this week, Roe and otherwise, and we recognize how many layered, complicated thoughts people are having right now. We will continue to pray and speak about everything going on, and we want to emphasize the importance of leaning into community at times like this. To that end, Suzie and Jonathan both have words from their own pastors this past weekend that we think will be comforting, cathartic, and hopeful. Take care of yourselves, and may God be with you.
Sy’s recommendations:
Reversing Roe dominated Supreme Court news this week for obvious reasons. But another important decision from yesterday drastically decreased tribal sovereignty by declaring for the first time that states have jurisdiction to prosecute crimes on Indian reservations equal to that of tribal governments. You can read about the decision here. The case is a triumph for racists in Oklahoma who have been working for two years to undo the 2020 ruling that nearly half of the state was reservation land, despite the government’s argument that the treaties which established the reservations were invalid. After failing to (re)strip tribes of their power through the Oklahoma legislature, they took to the courts, claiming the 2020 ruling caused complete chaos in the state’s criminal legal system. But as Native American journalists Rebecca Nagle and Allison Herrera reported in April, the facts used as evidence for this narrative are unverifiable. The Supreme Court leaned on them anyway.
Another important decision from this week dealt with a public school football coach who lost his job for engaging in what Justice Gorsuch described as a “short, private, personal prayer” after games. Everyone else described the prayers as post-game spectacles on the 50-yard line involving players from both teams, fans, and local media, which the coach refused to stop even after players complained. Instead, he went on a media tour, claiming persecution. The majority, as this article explains, used a false description of the facts to overturn an old Establishment Clause case conservatives didn’t like. It’s a case worth knowing about to see the impact of the white Christian persecution complex and how willing and empowered the current Supreme Court majority is to reach its desired ends regardless of means.
Jonathan’s recommendations:
Last week, Suzie highlighted what her local church pastor, Rev. Dr. Willie Bodrick II, shared on the intersection of Juneteenth and Father’s Day. This week, it’s my turn to shout out New Life East’s Associate Pastor, Andre Grey, whose pastoral words (at minute 35 in the linked video) on the reversal of Roe v. Wade were a clear and powerful call for institutional and intimate transformation because of the love and power of Jesus. Every Sunday, pastors step into pulpits and sidestep current events or step up to spew political talking points. That is not what Pastor Grey did. He waded into the swirling waters, and offered words that were caring and prophetic full of lament, truth, grace, and intelligence. This is what shepherding a congregation should look like in 2022 as we step out of a colonized faith and into the kingdom of God. And it is imperative that the local church and especially local church pastors do not pass up these opportunities to stand and speak on behalf of the least of these.
It is possible for different groups of Americans to live in completely different worlds because of the media we consume. This is made all the more apparent by the January sixth hearings that expose how former President Trump laid the groundwork to subvert the 2020 election and remain in power. What is incredibly helpful though is when people are willing to cross over the informational divide, and Jordan Klepper from The Daily Show does just that! This article from the Daily Beast highlights his most recent visit to a Trump Rally in Mississippi. When Klepper confronted attendees with the realities contradicting “The Big Lie,” they reacted with everything from defensiveness to real thoughtfulness. Two women even left the rally. Click all the links! Whenever I see what Klepper does, I am left with the question: What if followers of Jesus, desiring to leave colonized faith were as committed as this comedian to crossing the divides that have so polarized us? I hope I can press in like he does so continually.
Suzie’s recommendations:
I don’t usually reference the same source two weeks in a row, but Rev. Bodrick really brought the thunder again this past Sunday, and it was an important message that many Christians in America need to hear. As the oldest offshoot of the historic African Meeting House that has seen the likes of Frederick Douglas and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in its pulpit, this church is not one to shy away from calling out political and social injustice. Rev. Bodrick’s latest sermon carried on in that tradition of preaching unequivocal truth on behalf of the marginalized and oppressed. In the face of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a move that so many white churches were eager to either celebrate or tiptoe around, Rev. Bodrick presented a clear call to lament and continue on in the struggle for equal rights and protection in this nation. It was an important reminder that for communities of color, this decision is much less nuanced and much more harmful than even sympathetic white Christians make it out to be. Rev. Bodrick also referenced the work of Christian historian Randall Balmer, whose important article on the intersection of race and abortion we reprinted in our anthology. You can listen to the sermon starting at 1:17 here.
We were privileged to have Mako Nagasawa on our podcast last month to talk about his book, Abortion Policy and Christian Social Ethics in the United States. For those of you who want to go deeper on this topic, Mako will be offering a timely short Saturday series on “meaningful action in a Post-Roe world.” The commitment is minimal— a morning Zoom session from 9 – 10 a.m. on July 9th, 16th, and 23rd with no prior or outside reading requirements. The sessions will explore topics like “When does life begin?” and will dive into the intersection of abortion, poverty, and criminal justice reform. It looks like a fantastic series and I highly encourage any and all who are interested to register here. Oh, and it’s free!
Shake the Dust preview
Tomorrow, Jonathan and Sy talk to Dr. Amy Kenny, disabled Shakespeare scholar and author of My Body Is Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church. They discuss curing disabilities versus biblical healing, finding beauty and power in disability, reshaping the Church around disabled people, compassion in literature, and so much more!
Thanks for reading, and see you next week!
The KTF team