Turning House 6.1 Released!

CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE:

• Editors' Note
• Rebekah Walter - "The Storm's Questions"
• Seth Pickens - "Union, the Light of the World"
• The Editors - "Empire Scholar to Speak"
• Jeremy Posadas - "Coming Out Coming Up"
• The Poverty Initiative - "The Work of Ending Poverty"
• Jeremy Posadas - "Race Conversation Redirected"
• Julia Cato - "Interseminary Dialogue Continues"
• Angela Moscheo Escueta - "Balaam's Ass: An Open Letter to the Community"
• "Returning Students Challenge Union" (Several Contributors)
• Andrea Davis - "Union's Accidental Theologian"
• Isaac Lawson - "M.P. Joseph Hears the Margins Speak"
• "First-Years Making Their Way..." (Various Contributors)
• Meggan Watterson - "In the Palace of Wisdom""
• Margaret Sawyer - "Blessings for All"

TH6.1: Editors' Note

With Volume 6 of The Turning House, the editorial team has undertaken a significant experiment. We want The Turning House to provide even more of a platform for the student body to examine, evaluate, and challenge ideas and practices of this religious community and all religious communities of which we are part. To this end, we welcome shorter pieces reporting on upcoming events or reflecting on past ones – both at and beyond Union (such as the upcoming colloquium with Michael Hardt). Yet we will continue to publish thoughtful commentary, in various forms, to kindle fresh-yet-nuanced conversation within the Seminary community (see, for example, the pieces by Angela Escueta and Rebekah Walter).

The Seminary has sufficiently passed through wrenching turmoil in the past few years that the veil (or gag) of bare survival must now be lifted. It is time for us to ask difficult, fundamental questions with enough boldness to gain clarity and enough focus on practices, not preconceptions, to preserve our community.

In letters to the editors, comments on the Turning House blog, and submissions to future issues, we hope you will create with us the kind of discourse can redefine whether and how we can possibly be “A New Union in a World City.”

-The Editors

TH6.1: The Storm's Questions

BY REBEKAH WALTER

When I reflect on the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, it is honestly difficult for me to decide who I am more angry with about what occurred: President Bush or God. Public debate surrounding the hurricane places President Bush at the top of a hierarchy of blame – and for good reason. The appalling lack of attention and aid to New Orleans is inexcusable, and accusations that this failure was caused by racism and classism deserve extensive consideration. Yet despite the President’s messianic claims to authority, even Bush would admit that he cannot control nature.

For me, this raises an uncomfortable and important question that we often hesitate to ask: if God is omnipotent, isn’t God ultimately to blame for the hurricane? The question of God’s role in natural disasters is one of the most difficult for theodicy and Hurricane Katrina demonstrates why. While it is easy to point to human injustices that occurred in the hurricane’s aftermath, what do we have to say about a God who set the hurricane into motion? How can an omnipotent God not only allow, but be the cause of such suffering? How can God have a preferential option for the poor when the hurricane claimed a disproportionate number of impoverished people of color?

There are, of course, no easy answers – for theology necessarily (and thankfully) requires the space for the deep, even infinite mystery of the divine. While it is important to not let theological reflection on these questions lead to a paralysis of analysis or faith, the question of why God would allow unjust suffering is of critical importance to those claiming to have a liberating God.

Rebekah Walter is a second-year MA student.

TH6.1: Union, the Light of the World

Student Senate Note

BY SETH PICKENS

What is Union all about, anyway? Academic rigor? Leadership? Social Justice? We stand for all these things and more. The people who started the school may have envisioned something else as well; not that they were opposed to any of the aforementioned ideals. What they had in mind is one of the first things we see when we enter the lobby, it is occasionally mentioned in chapel, and it is even emblazoned on the doorknobs of the classrooms. Right in the middle of the seminary’s seal we find the letters “IHC XPC,” an old way of saying Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the reason for Union Theological Seminary. Scared? You shouldn’t be.

At the first Student Senate meeting of the year, the members present established three priorities for this school year. The first was to provide hurricane relief and other humanitarian aid on behalf of the student body. This reminds me of Jesus’ teaching, “whatever you did for one of the least of [my brothers and sisters], you did for me.” The second priority was to continue our notorious racialization discussions. This year, we hope to go beyond talking and get to know each another informally across so-called color lines. After all, Jesus did say “love your neighbor as yourself.” Third, we hope to address issues that will make the space as physically comfortable as possible for the students. Remember, Jesus taught them, saying, “The Realm of God is at hand.” That means that our school is heaven, or at least it can be if we work at it. Together, we can form a more perfect Union: a place to live, learn, and love – in Jesus’ name!

Seth Pickens is a third-year MDiv and co-chair of the Student Senate. [This is the first of a monthly note from elected leaders of the student body. – Eds.]

TH6.1: Empire Scholar to Speak at Union

Following on last fall’s well-received national conference “New Testament and Roman Empire: Shifting Paradigms for Interpretation,” Union’s New Testament Faculty will host social philosopher Michael Hardt for a public colloquium, “Resisting Empire: Early Christians, the Poor, and the Multitude.” This free event will be held October 26, in James Chapel, beginning at 6:00pm. Hardt, a professor at Duke University, is the co-author (with imprisoned scholar-activist Antonio Negri) of the recent Multitude: War and Democracy in the Age of Empire, as well as the seminal Empire. Responding to Hardt will be New Testament Professors Hal Taussig and Brigitte Kahl, Poverty Initiative Scholar-in-Residence Willie Baptist, and – in his first public address since assuming the Niebuhr Chair of Social Ethics – Professor Gary Dorrien. Davina C. Lopez, doctoral candidate in New Testament, will moderate the evening, which will include opportunity to engage Hardt and the panel following the presentations. Capturing the importance of the colloquium’s topic, Lopez remarked, “The New Testament is remarkable because it is a story of international solidarity from below, a snapshot of resistance to Roman imperial rule from the perspective of the multitudes who suffer most deeply and systemically. What would it mean to take this perspective seriously in this time of heightened imperial pretenses?” Those interested in this question who were unable to attend last year’s conference can look forward to both the colloquium as well as an upcoming double-issue of the Union Seminary Quarterly Review, which will be released around that date and will contain papers and presentations from at the 2004 conference.

–The Editors

TH6.1: Coming Out Coming Up

BY JEREMY D. POSADAS

Union’s annual observance of National Coming Out Day will become National Coming Out Week this year, according to the Queer Caucus and Fierce, Union’s caucus for queer students of color. While next week will include distributing materials affirming LGBTQ people, three chapel services will present varied experiences of LGBTQ life. On Monday, October 10, alumnus Malcolm Boyd will discuss being a queer student at Union in the 1950s. The Queer Caucus and Fierce are jointly sponsoring Tuesday’s chapel on the plight and survival of homeless LGBTQ youth, and Fierce will welcome the Rev. Jeffrey Haskins to preach on Wednesday. Haskins is the senior pastor at Unity Fellowship Church, a congregation of and for LGBTQ people of color. The week will conclude with Club Sanctuary, a dance on Wednesday evening, to launch the Seminary’s fall break.

In conjunction with the week, the Rev. Cari Jackson will conduct training for students, including straight allies, interested in serving as positive resources for students wrestling with issues of sexuality and gender. The session will be held October 11, 6:30-8:00pm, and interested students can contact either of the Queer Caucus’s co-conveners, second-year MDiv students Michelle Slack and John Shorb. Speaking of the necessity for the week, Slack said, “It’s important that we observe NCOD because, in this laboratory we call Union, it is part of our responsibility as members of the community to educate each other about our lives, to acknowledge the gifts we bring as queer folk, and to help create a space that is truly safe and affirming for LGBTQ people.”

TH6.1: Race Conversation Redirected

BY JEREMY D. POSADAS

The path of community forums on race matters over the past three years turned a new direction on Thursday, September 22. The discussion in the Social Hall that evening – “Race: Questions, Responses, Movements” – was different for a number of reasons. It came at the very start of the academic year, less as a reaction to a particular incident or student-body sentiment, and more as an intentional opening of dialogue around race, racism, and racialization. And it was planned by the leaders of the Students of Color Retreat, in conjunction with that event. Over 35 students, mostly white, attended the forum, along with Seminary administrators Euan Cameron, Mary McNamara, and Karen Jones, and Professors Hyun Kyung Chung and Michael Harris. Alumnae Dionne Boissiere (now Assistant Director of Development) and Jenna Tiitsman each spoke briefly about race issues and anti-racism efforts during their time at Union. “I would encourage that the discussion turn into real action, getting over the ‘fear factor’ in talking about and confronting race and racism,” Boissiere advised. Tiitsman described the immense difficulties and unfairness involved in meaningful anti-racist work, but also the possibilities for transformation. After these presentations, third-year MDiv student Marisol Caballero led several exercises to reveal dimensions of racial, cultural, and socioeconomic diversity among the attendees. The forum concluded by dividing into three smaller, separate discussion groups, based on participants’ experiences and interests in anti-racism work.

TH6.1: The Work of Ending Poverty

Spurred on by the success of last spring’s Truth Commission, we begin this year even more aware of poverty as the defining issue of our times and the responsibility of people of faith to call for its complete elimination. This year we will consolidate our own infrastructure as well as respond to current events. Hurricane Katrina, in particular, has laid bare many truths about our society, and we are trying to formulate ways to support the voicing of poor people’s ideas and solutions in its aftermath. We will also focus on immigration issues, the intersection of prisons and poverty, the utilization of arts and culture, and, of course, the ways in which the religious community in particular can mobilize for economic justice.

As always, through continual self-examination, we will remain genuinely and honestly in relation with those immediately affected by economic injustice, who are the leaders of the movement to end poverty. We believe that the more that we hear stories and solutions from the people directly affected by economic injustice – and acknowledge that ending poverty is not only our moral imperative but our theological and spiritual calling – the better we will become at what we do. Thus, the Poverty Initiative wants to become a resource for burgeoning and current activists, religious leaders, social workers, teachers, advocates, and citizens.

The Poverty Initiative will hold a general meeting on Wednesday, October 12, at 2pm, in the Poverty Initiative office. Other events throughout the semester include a chapel service on November 10, and a day-long seminar class (FE 226) on November 18. The Poverty Initiative’s office hours are 9am-12pm.

–The Poverty Initiative

TH6.1: Interseminary Dialogue Continues

BY JULIA CATO

Union continues to participate in the Interseminary Dialogue in New York City. The program, which does not require membership, is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy brief yet informative conversations with other seminarians from the area. It’s an excellent way to meet students from other seminaries and, in discussing pertinent multi-faith issues, challenge any preconceived notions you might have about other religions. The group meets once or twice each month at seminaries around the city, and previous sessions have included Jewish as well as Orthodox, Protestant, and Catholic Christian students. The overall topic for this year’s Interseminary Dialogue is “Authority in Religion.” The next session is on Thursday, November 3, at General Theological Seminary (Episcopal): “Sources of Authority – Texts, Traditions and Charisma.” This will be followed two weeks later, on Thursday, November 17, at St. Joseph’s Seminary (Catholic) in Yonkers: “Relating to Authority – Obedience and Opposition in History.” Finally, Hebrew Union College (Reform) hosts the Dialogue on Monday, December 5: “Who Is In and Who Is Out? Affiliation, Membership and Excommunication.”

Julia Cato is a third-year MDiv student.

TH6.1: Balaam’s Ass: An Open Letter to the Commmunity

[Balaam’s Ass was the original name of Union’s student journal. It refers to the unnamed ass in Numbers 22.21-35, who persists in communicating a vision even when Balaam refuses to hear. In the hopes that our community will hear with a little more clarity and care, we invite one graduating student each month to share her or his vision of what the Seminary can be, and what it must do to become so. May we have ears to hear, and eyes to see, better than Balaam. – Eds.]

BY ANGELA MOSCHEO ESCUETA

I write on the opening night of the Peace Conference, and I am struck by how many times I have heard different people comment on Union’s privilege in hosting such an auspicious event. I agree, it is quite a privilege. However, I believe Union’s legacy allows for such an honor. I cannot help but wonder if so many would have commented on Union’s position if this conference had been held at the pinnacle of the school’s reputation as THE place to be for sound theological education and practical exposure to social justice. Has that time passed? What are we as an institution doing to ensure that the legacy of today allows for the Peace Conferences of tomorrow? And whose responsibility is it to secure Union’s place in the future?

I ask these questions as I begin my third year and look back on the whispers and roars of financial doom that haven’t quite quelled and on the wolf that is Columbia who continues beating on our doors (and knocking down our walls). I am reminded regularly that Union has a pub but no campus minister, space open to the public but no place for commuters, and gourmet lunches but no required direct-service learning component for social justice efforts (aside from some field education placements). I look also on the departures of so many beloved faculty members who helped create Union’s reputation and wonder if we are doing nearly enough to continue the work they began. How much voice have we used as students to demand diversity in the faculty searches and excellence in standards for our classmates?

The Poverty Initiative, including community education and field-work opportunities, is a brilliant step towards cementing Union’s reputation as an institution of social change. A well-matched nexus of students, faculty, board and community members, the Poverty Initiative challenging Union to social engagement on a scale not seen in quite some time. The Ministerial Formation Caucus and newly-formed Ministerial/Spiritual Formation Resource Team show real promise in together providing much-needed resources and encouragement for groups and individuals in a Seminary setting severely lacking pastoral support.

What would it look like to have more direct-service opportunities, perhaps even trips (beyond the J-Term) like a working Spring Break or a regular commitment to a specific agency or service group? Or what would it look like to incorporate more physical activity into our entirely theo-spiritual curriculum – camping trips each semester, hiking excursions or even a runners group, for example? I welcome more candid, casual conversation and continued interest in the world beyond the Quad and even the City. I envision new ways to build community while working to insure Union’s place in the future, and I challenge each of you to join me.

Angela Escueta is a third-year MA student.

TH6.1: Returning Students Challenge Union

[The editors asked returning students, “What is the single most important thing that needs to be improved at Union Theological Seminary – in academics or student life or community life or relations with the wider communities?” Here are the responses we received.]

Academic excellence is the single most important aspect of Union that needs to be continually improved. We are here in service of God and humanity. We have been given the greatest gift of the ability to clarify ideas, strengthen our intellect and sharpen our ability to reason. Union is among the finest seminaries in the world not only because of social activism, but on the strength of new ideas and the expansion of theological boundaries. If by reading this you are inspired to work harder, study more, and think yourself into new realms of being – this is the best possible change that Union might enjoy – from the inside out.
-Norris J. Chumley, PhD candidate

Probably the best improvement I can think of for the Union community would be creative ways for making it more of a community than it currently is. One possibility might be to offer spiritual formation groups such as the kind Companions in Christ lead. The small dinners that were offered last year were another good effort toward that end.
-Susan Hermanson, third-year MDiv student

I have a cosmetic suggestion: I would like to see more of our events and activities open to and advertised with our more secular neighbors on the Union campus. Why not have an open door to, (or at least have our student ID cards activated to clear the security doors at) the Columbia Religion Department? Conversely, wouldn’t they benefit from indoor access to Union classes and the Burke Library?
-Laura Bothwell, second-year MA student

One of the most important things that needs to improve at Union is our relationship with the community across the street at Columbia University. That relationship could take different forms; one could be of a social justice nature and the other a foothold in the pedagogy of the curriculum. Revolutionize the future of this country by aiming to influence and evangelize a portion of Columbia’s student body to a gospel that seeks to liberate the poor, the oppressed and the "other." Regarding the pedagogy of Columbia, fight for the chance to get a required class for all business, medical, law, and engineering students to take a class that espouses the social justice of the gospel that Union holds dear. Call this class “The Economics of Injustice.”
-Michael Lee, third-year MDiv student

TH6.1: Union's Accidental Theologian

BY ANDREA DAVIS

The Rev. Peter Phan is the Visiting Professor of Theology and Culture at Union. A Vietnamese-American priest, Phan is the Ignacio Ellacuria, SJ, Professor of Catholic Social Thought at Georgetown University and a preeminent Catholic theologian in the English-speaking world. He holds doctorates in theology, philosophy, and divinity, as well as an honorary doctorate in theology. Phan is the author of Christianity with an Asian Face: Asian American Theology in the Making.
   I sat down with Dr. Phan, a humorous and laid-back personality, in his 4th-floor office, to discuss the past, present, and future of his work.

AD: Did you have a religious upbringing?

PP: Yes. My family is Roman Catholic…for at least four or five generations back. Christianity came to Vietnam in the 17th century.

AD: What sort of religious formation was a part of your decision to become a theologian?

PP: I am what you would call an “accidental theologian!” This means that theology was never something that I wanted to do when I was younger. I studied languages as an undergraduate, and had I not gone on to become a theologian, probably would have continued in that field. I came to the US in 1975 as a refugee, with many family members to support. I knew that I could not work as a pastor, because of a lack of knowledge of the cultural context of the United States. So I decided on philosophy. However, when I went to teach at the University of Dallas, they did not have philosophy. Instead, they asked me to teach theology. This is how these things happen. I got it, liked it, and kept it. So my basic answer is that I owe my career to Divine Providence.

AD: You’re teaching a class at Union called “Culture, Religion, Theology.” What got you interested in the relationship between these three subjects?

PP: Well, I was invited to Union to fill the Paul Tillich chair in Culture, World Religions, and Theology. But I have been interested in this area for a long time. I have published extensively in this area. Previously, the United States only focused on the connection between theology and culture. But the interest in the element of religion is emerging with the increase in immigrants in the US. There has been a resurgence of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam, that was unexpected by those encouraging immigration in the 1980s. With globalization, there is more of a focus on multiculturalism.

AD: What is your ultimate career goal? What is it that you are seeking?

PP: I would ultimately like to pursue three lines of dialogue. First, how does faith relate to bringing about justice in the world? Especially in light of events such as Katrina. Secondly, how is it that Christianity is expressed so diversely in the US? And third, I am interested in understanding how different religions can participate in a dialogue about bringing about peace.

AD: Thank you, Professor Phan, for your time. We are happy to have you here at Union this year, and appreciate all that you bring.

PP: Thank you.

Andrea Davis is a third-year MDiv student and Managing Editor of The Turning House.

TH6.1: M.P. Joseph Hears the Margins Speak

BY ISAAC LAWSON

Union welcomes its new Burke Library Scholar-in-Residence, M.P. Joseph. A Union graduate, Joseph is now back at Union researching the history of the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians (EATWOT). With members such as Union’s own Professor James Cone and Hyung Kyun Chun, EATWOT fosters new models of theology that promote liberation of Third World peoples “from the vantage point of the poor seeking liberation, integrity of creation, gender co-responsibility, racial and ethnic equality and interfaith dialogue,” according to its website. During his time here, Joseph will spend numerous hours reading through EATWOT’s records, housed in the Burke Library Archives, in order to tell the history of this 30-year-old powerful association.

Visiting from Chang Jung Unversity, Taiwan, where he teaches religious studies, Joseph brings to Union a passion for theologies of liberation. His interests include issues of theology and economics and globalization in relation to the struggles of poor people. Another aspect of his work is his critique on modernity in Africa and Asia. Joseph returned to Union in part because he is an avid believer in the mission of Union, whose methodology he believes remains significant for church and society. He will deliver his lecture as Scholar-in-Residence on October 20, 6:30pm, in the Bonhoeffer Room.

TH6.1: First-Years Making Their Way...

[The editors asked the entering students’ thoughts as the year starts. Below are the responses we received.]

QUESTION 1: What do you most want out of your time here at Union Theologial Seminary?

I want to be stretched, because it’s the only way growth occurs. (Ben Sanders) • To be taken to the Xtreme...I want to Xperience a variety issues and studies, Xtend friendship and knowledge, Xpand my mind, Xamine and reprogram my thoughts where necessary, Xcercise my faith and Xplore! (Suleima Rosario) • My experience at Union is all about discernment – where is God leading me, and how can the good folks at Union prepare me to get there? (Tim Palmer) • I hope to deepen and clarify my theology, explore a greater range of religious experience, and relate both to a broader understanding of society and of justice. (David Orr) • To experience being a member of this religious community. (Kuniko Montgomery) • Through listening to others’ stories At Union Theological Seminary, I want to learn to whom my message is accountable and how best to communicate that. (Wade Mitchell) • Learning from and with other people (teachers, students…) and together finding answers to my many questions: about Christianity in the US, contextual theology, key elements of Christian faith, etc. (Kerstin Menzel) • Answers. (Julia Locke) • Academic and scriptural support for the progressive, counter-cultural beliefs about worship in Christian settings that I came to through practice. (Melissa Lemons) • To know what God wants me to do next. (Mark Leach) • I hope to experience the common ground we share, thereby expanding my horizons. (Kyeong Il Jung) • Through theological education I want to grow in biblical knowledge, delve into questions of theology, ethics and social justice. (Brenda D. Ford) • I want confidence in my own theological voice most out of my time at Union. (Michele Finazzo) • What I want most out of my time here at UTS is a better understanding of God’s call for me. I know God has called me to seminary and ministry, I’m just not quite sure of the context in which God wants me to minister. (Beth Greenwood) • I hope to come out of Union with a greater (theological) understanding of what is wrong in this country and this world – particularly with regard to race matters – and what my place in that world is and can be. In the meantime, I hope to learn from the amazing students and faculty who are at Union. (Ian Doescher) • What I want most is the kind of theological education that will enable me to empower others to think for themselves about who God is for us today. (Karyn Carlo) • To be challenged in the way I see Christianity, and also the academic world. Oh, and God! I’m excited about bringing my previous studies down to ground level... (Gillian Breckenridge) • I'd like to think I'll have gained a foothold into the academic community in preparation for my future endeavors. (John Banionis)

QUESTION 2: What are you feeling one month after Orientation and one month into the school year?

Glad that orientation nourished budding friendships, yet also relieved that the start of classes brought a sense of normalcy to my life. (John Banionis) • Has it really been a month? I am feeling so happy to have the chance to be here at all, but that I would love to stay for longer. I feel like I have to really make the most of my time here. (Gillian Breckenridge) • I am feeling really blessed to be here, doing what I love best with some of the coolest people I’ve ever met. (Karyn Carlo) • I’m feeling mostly terrified – but I’m trying to tell myself to take it a semester at a time. So far, so good; the first few weeks have been great. (Ian Doescher) • After being here one month, I am honestly feeling a little overwhelmed. There’s a lot of work, a lot to learn, and a lot on which to reflect. But I’m also feeling overwhelmed by the "welcome home" feeling of the school – it’s fantastic. (Beth Greenwood) • I am feeling a bit anxious, excited, nervous, blessed after one month at Union Theological Seminary. (Michele Finazzo) • Challenged and among a community of fellow laborers in the vineyard, with great expectancy, waiting – waiting and praying for clarification, waiting for answers to questions that lie within and discernment from the urges in our spirit that tug at our hearts. I am excited with the plans God has laid out for me and letting go of the control. (Brenda D. Ford) • What? One month passed already? (Kyeong Il Jung) • Thrilled and exhausted. (Mark Leach) • At home – with all the comfort and acceptance of family craziness "home" implies. (Melissa Lemons) • Joyfully overwhelmed. (Julia Locke) • Excitement and a back and forth between self-doubt and rising self-confidence (Kerstin Menzel) • Xcited, Xhausted,and Xtremely Blessed! (Suleima Rosario) • After the first month, I am affirmed that I am at the right place. (Wade Mitchell) • I still feel like dreaming.... ah... I mean, in a good way. (Kuniko Montgomery) • I already feel my assumptions being questioned, and I’m struggling to open my mind to unfamiliar and often uncomfortable ideas and modes of expression. (David Orr) • It finally sunk in one day at worship that these new faces I have been seeing every day for the last few weeks are my family for the next three years – and that was a joyous realization. (Tim Palmer) • After a month at Union I am feeling a major need for more hours in the day to complete all of my reading assignments. (Ben Sanders)

TH6.1: Peace Council Reflection: In the Palace of Wisdom

BY MEGGAN WATTERSON

Swami Agnivesh, whose name means “master of fire”, found it comical that he was placed next to me at the Peace Council’s table. “Watter”, he would say, “I am fire,” and then he would laugh and ask me to pass a glass of water. Swami’s unassuming nature made it all the more impressive when he spoke of the pilgrimage he will lead this November throughout India with other spiritual leaders to ensure that equal rights for “the girl child” are observed and to raise awareness about female feticide.

I was in fact more the element in my last name than usual throughout my time among the sages of the Peace Council. Though the water that brimmed at my eyes is usually called tears, that does not con-vey what was happening to me physically. It was more of a welling over, it was an excess, the sort of excess William Blake describes as leading to a “palace of wisdom.” And this palace among the sages was that of the heart. A shift took place in me because of this welling-over of heart: I no longer feel overwhelmed by the amount I anguish over injustices in the world. I feel instead capable and even en-abled to cope with them because of this well, this depth of heart. So this welling-up, this brimming-over with an excess of love is what I know now of peace.

There is little difference, I came to realize, between the Peace Councilors and me. The primary fact is that they stood up, from within their respective religious traditions, for the hopes of love and justice above the fears of hatred and injustice. They stood up and moved as their hearts asked that they might move. An arduously simple task, to follow the soft-whistling directives of the heart. Arduous because the heart must be heard constantly. Faithfully. Daily. And simple, because I honestly believe that the smallest of small voices, the heart’s own, is ever and always speaking to us, from within us. We simply need to be peace-filled enough to hear its voice. And then, as the Venerable Bhikkhuni had said to me one morning, “Enough with words, now for actions.”

Meggan Watterson, third-year MDiv student, was a participant in the Peace Council conference.

TH6.1: Peace Council Reflection: Blessings for All

BY MARGARET SAWYER

What a week! What a blessing to host Peacemakers in our halls, in our worship, in our Zen class, in our Social Hall. They have lived the lessons that we learn here. But being here seemed to bless the Councilors as well. “Being together with ‘the next generation’ made this visit especially meaningful,” said one Peace Councilor at Friday’s wrap-up session. “The Poverty Initiative opened my eyes to a new way of interpreting theology,” said a pastor on their Board. Almost everyone seemed to find the week an extraordinary blessing.

The Peace Councilors have swept away my self-doubt about the impact even one pastor can have on the world. I heard their dialogue about all the same issues as ours: How do we create a more just world? How do we find common ground with our conservative brothers and sisters? How can we end American imperialism? Even that favorite UTS question: What about self-care? They are transforming the world through their faithful love, and so can I. So can we. The Peace Councilors are proof: the world is small, things can change, non-violence works, and God’s grace transforms our world!

Third-year MDiv student Margaret Sawyer was a student participant with the Peace Council.