|
Recently my daughter asked me for a book recommendation. As always, I recommended my favorite book, Toni Morrison's Beloved. I rediscovered this unpublished blog.  Some of the most beautiful passages I have ever read, I have discovered in the Newer Testament. Some of the most angering, oppressive passages I have read, also are in the Newer Testament. And then there is the Hebrew Scriptures. I have discovered abiding comfort in the Psalms, compelling arguments for equality in the prophets AND horrific genocide, violence, and tales of the dismembering of women in the Hebrew Sciptures. The Christian Bible is complicated.
Recently I learned that Toni Morrison’s novel, Beloved, has been banned by some school districts. I was completely confused. Had those who banned Beloved read the novel in full? The reasons cited are bestiality, infanticide, sex, and violence. Really? Having read both the Bible and Beloved cover to cover I can attest that Beloved, like the Bible, is a complicated book. I can also assure you that there is less infanticide, sex, and violence in Beloved than in the Bible. I haven’t studied Biblical bestiality thoroughly enough to comment. The Open Canon: As scholars commonly remind us, the word “bible” is an Anglicization of a Greek word, biblia better translated as “library.” Hence, the biblical canon is a set of books (think everything from Genesis to Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth) which the early Christian community decided represented God’s written word. It is essential to remember, the canonized Bible was written, rewritten, and edited by an assortment of varying communities and individuals over many centuries. The final determination of which texts were canonized (made it into the Bible) was decided by a group of powerful men. This should surprise no one. Many Christians over the past century, especially in the progressive Christian church, have argued that the canon is not closed, yet open. I align with this group. My reasons for believing in an open cannon are three fold:
Throughout my faith journey, I have continually asked myself, what books, what works of art, what songs, what poems would I add to the Biblical Canon? I have always had one consistent answer: Beloved. I do not expect others to agree with me. I do not write this blog even to convince you to add it to your personal cannon. Instead, you will have to read it for yourself. All I can simply say is this: I reference passages, images and narratives in Beloved as frequently as the Bible. Don’t freak out. God has yet to smite me. Instead, I believe the Biblical narrative has had such a profound impact on my thinking that I seek out similarly revelatory and similar themes in other books. Toni Morrison has captured powerfully what it means to survive, love, continue when violence breaks one’s soul, forgive, and remember.
2 Comments
I haven't written out a sermon in 15 years. I have prepared countless sermons. I have outlined scriptural investigations. But an actually written sermon? Nope. And yet this Easter I felt compelled to write. I'm not sure why. I sat down before my computer and wrote the following sermon in an hour. On Easter morning I did not read this sermon. I preached it, remembering what I had written. I am certain the sermon I preached was different in many ways, but the arc was the same. I share this now because I believe this to be one of the most important Easter sermons I have ever preached simply because of the historical moment in which we find ourselves. I want to be a part of a faith tradition that's fundamental story is love, not fear and violence. Recently it feels the American Christian Church is grounded in fear and violence; the Evangelical Church is aligned strongly with MAGA politics and White Christian Nationalism is mainstream. I am a Jesus follower, not an American Christian. As a follower of Jesus, I root myself deeply in the story of possibility and love as told by an empty tomb.  Easter Sermon 2025
Rev. Abigail A. Henrich @abbyhenrich There is an old story in Christianity. It goes like this: Eve ate the apple. We are all sinners. All broken. All terrible. Humanity is a disaster. Individuals are really rotten at the core. It’s called original sin. There is another story in our faith tradition. It is scriptural, but let me be clear it is not the only explanation in the Newer Testament. Instead it is one of many interpretations of the holy week story, specifically the cross. Augustine made it really famous in the 4th century and it is THE prevalent story of the modern Christian church. It goes like this: We are so terrible that God needs to sacrifice something on our behalf to forgive us. It’s called substitutionary atonement. You know, Jesus died on the cross for YOUR sins. As a kid I wondered why if God loved me so much God couldn’t just forgive me instead of deciding killing Jesus was a good idea….. Finally there is another story that is circulating in our country and in most American Christian churches. Let me be very very clear this story is not found in the Bible. It goes like this: Things are changing at a rapid pace. We live in a global, multicultural, multi racial, inner religious country. The only response is FEAR. We should close our hearts. Close our homes. Close our schools and libraries. And we should without question close our borders and harbors. The world is a terribly fearful place. And the only people to trust are people who look like you, worship like you, and were born in this country. It’s called white christian nationalism. I want to tell you a different story. I want to tell you the story of a prophet named Jesus. I want to tell you the story of a man who lived in Nazareth and traveled all over the Galilean countryside teaching and healing and preaching good news to the outcast, the forgotten, the least. And then this man, this prophet, this teacher, this political-social radical, this community organizer entered Jerusalem during the week of Passover. This is the story of Holy Week. It is a story of a final meal with friends, a cup and loaf of bread shared. It is a story of a leader washing his followers feet and commanding them to love one another. It is a story of a man alone, praying, afraid of what is to come. It is a story of a betrayal. And it is a story of a violent empire, an unjust trial, and a state sponsored execution on the cross. It is a story of a community devastated by the death of their beloved friend and leader. It is a story of one who petitions for Jesus’s body and has it laid in a tomb. And it is a story of women eager to prepare his body for burial, but who must wait on account of the sabbath. Finally it is a story of the unexpected. It is a story of a stone rolled back and an empty tomb. It is a story of New Possibilities. This story is called EASTER. This is WHY we remember the person of Jesus and his life and ministry. This is why all over the globe people gather this day to sing Alleluia! This is why a small band of misfits-- tax collectors, fishermen, lepers, hemorrhaging women-- transformed into a movement. I think original sin and substitutionary atonement are pretty terrible sales pitches. I mean really, who wants to hear that stuff? And what Christian marketing executive approved of this? These stories did not propel the gospel of Jesus onto the international stage. Instead, they were most likely employed for empire, so that once again the powerful could control the least. The story of Easter propelled the small group from the Galilean countryside following a socio-political reformer into a world religion. Without the resurrection there would be no Christianity. And the Easter story is NOT about the depravity of humankind or violence. The Easter story is a story of possibility and love. I want to say this again: Possibility and Love. Not depravity or violence. Possibility and Love. So why should we bother? Why should we embrace this story opposed to the others I have told you? Because maybe like me you need some more love, some more belief in the possibility of what can happen, what can be. When Jesus died everyone thought it was over. No one believed there was anything more. The word possibility wasn’t in their vocabulary. And yet here we are. So what possibility do you need to see, embrace, hope for, pray for, work for? Is it the possibility of sobriety? Is it the possibility of mending a broken relationship? Is it the possibility of finally loving yourself as God loves you? Is it the possibility of a community bound together in love instead of shared hate? Is it the possibility of defeating fear and hate and replacing it with a love so wide, so big that there is no turning back? What is the possibility before you this morning? This day? This week? This month? This year? This lifetime? For if we are an Easter people, if we are people of the Easter Story and not people of depravity and fear and violence, what possibilities shall we seek? I want to leave you with a final story. It is a story of a minority neighborhood in North Charleston. This neighborhood was dominated by a narrative they did not write or speak, but still this narrative--this story-- was told to everyone else. And the narrative was one that I am sure is familiar to all of us. Poor neighborhoods have no potential. They are filled with listless people who do not care. They are violent and dangerous and why bother investing? But my friends, with the backing of the Baptist Cooperative, began an afterschool program there…. And well with that one step everything changed.
Here is the choice. Do you want to remain stuck in a hopeless narrative? A narrative that roots itself in violence and fear. Do you want to just hunker down and hold on? Or do you want to EMBRACE the possibility of what may be because LOVE does and will always change everything? EVERYTHING. Make that choice here and right now. "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me" -Matthew 25:31-40
FOURTH OF FOUR BLOGS: Explain to your immigrant neighbor that they have rights regardless of their immigration status. You are an advocate! You have created a relationship with an undocumented member of your community. You have even helped them organize their legal documents. Now it is time again to remind your undocumented neighbor that they do have rights, even though in this current political environment it feels like they do not. Teach them the following: Know Your Rights: The ACLU emphasizes that regardless of immigration status, individuals have constitutional rights, including the right to due process, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, and protection from discrimination. Your rights:
How to reduce risk to yourself if a law enforcement agent asks about your immigration status:
Additional resources
Together, we can confront this moment. We can defend our values. We can assert our power. We can protect our community. God, and time, are on our side. "God defends the cause of the orphan and the widow, and loves the foreigner residing among you, giving them food and clothing." -Deuteronomy 10:18-19
THIRD OF FOUR BLOGS: Obtain Legal Documents and Organize Important Information You have identified yourself as an advocate for immigrants and maybe blessedly you have built an unexpected and beautiful relationship with an undocumented person or an undocumented community. What next? There are a number of legal documents that undocumented citizens should have in order. These documents do not require a lawyer. They require a notary. It is hard to know exactly what legal documents each individual immigrant should have. Here are a few that my research and practical experience suggest are essentials. If you need further information, please visit the ACLU site. Children: If you are assisting a family with children under 18 make sure the family has a notarized document indicating legal guardianship. The legal guardian must be a documented American citizen. Why is this necessary if the individual has lots of family around them who will of course take care of their child if they are deported? If an undocumented parent is deported, their child will in all likelihood be placed in a group foster home. It doesn’t matter if that child has many relatives. If these relatives are undocumented, they will not be granted the right to care for this child. This is heartbreakingly painful. Just writing these words makes tears spring to my eyes. It is essential that every child of an undocumented immigrant has a legal document clearly stating who their legal guardian (with citizenship) is. This is a painful topic that many parents cannot bear to speak about, but they must. A legal guardian can make sure a child is safely returned to their parents if deported to their country of origin, or that child can be placed with relatives in their community. Most importantly, a legal guardian can advocate for this child and communicate with this child’s parents. Make sure all children have a copy of their legal guardianship and know who their guardian is. If the child is too young to be responsible for such paperwork, make sure another childcare provider has these documents. Include in this paper work the name and number of the child’s primary care doctor or any other important medical information, including a list of medications. Finally, make sure children know how to contact you or another safe person in their community in case of emergency. Make sure the child has these names and numbers printed in a prominent place in their home and in a safe place in their backpack or with their child care provider. Financial Access/Power of Attorney: When undocumented citizens are deported they lose all access to the money they have saved in the U.S. if it is in a bank account. There are a few ways to ensure this does not happen. Many immigrants share bank accounts with a trusted friend or family member, ensuring that if they are deported someone will still have access to their account. Another way is for an undocumented citizen to grant a documented citizen power of attorney. A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows someone (the "agent" or "attorney-in-fact") to act on behalf of another (the "principal") in certain matters, such as financial or healthcare decisions, if the principal is unable to do so themselves. Create a list of emergency contacts Make sure this list of contacts is shared with family members and trusted individuals. Create a folder with the following information:
With permission from the undocumented citizen, make copies of all important documents and keep them in a safe place in your home for your immigrant neighbor. In fact, make a couple of copies. Depending on who the immigrant neighbor trusts, it's good to have a few people with access to this information, such as family members, trusted neighbors and friends, pastor, etc. Further documents that our immigrant neighbors should ALWAYS carry with them:
SECOND OF FOUR BLOGS: Build Individual Relationship with Immigrants
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without realizing it." -Hebrews 13:2 You have made the choice to be an immigrant advocate. You believe building communities of love, welcome, and support are the only ways forward in this unrecognizable political landscape. You have reached out to folks in your community you believe might be undocumented. You have handed out lots of red cards. What next? First: Re-check in with your undocumented neighbors and friends. Do not send them explicit texts stating their status, but you can send communications like this, “Just making sure you are okay. I can only imagine how exhausting this must all be.” Second: Ask if there is something specific you can do to ease their life. Here are some examples:
Third: Find out their birthday. Yes, really. How will this keep them safe? It won’t, but it will bind up their broken hearts. Knowing someone’s birthday is almost a universal, cross-cultural way to express that an individual life matters. If they wonder why you are asking, simply explain you want to make sure that you remember that day. If they are concerned you might be fishing for personal information, assure them you don’t need the year, just the month and day. Write that day down in your calendar. Make sure you do not forget it. On that day do whatever feels right from sending a card to baking a cake. It doesn’t really matter. What matters is that you have indicated to this person that they matter and that you plan on celebrating their birthday in the future with them. Fourth: Invite them to your home for pizza and games. Or lasagna and a movie. Or tea and biscuits. Why? This simple act of community will remind them they belong and there are places where they are safe and valued. Being in your home might feel like a mini-vacation from the fear they experience every day. You can not begin to imagine how this simple act will bind up their hearts. This particular act might not feel like advocacy. It might not even feel like you are doing enough. You, like me, might want to start marching in the streets and screaming at the top of your lungs. I hear you. But remember, the only way forward is together. The only way to defeat hate is with love. This will be a long four years. We need to build as much loving-community in as many pockets of our life as we can. These four steps might be more important than marching. (BTW please still march with really, really big signs!) FIRST OF FOUR BLOGS: Identify Yourself as an Advocate "When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do mot mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God." Leviticus 19:33-34  We have some clear choices before us: look away, hunker down and convince yourself and those you love that whatever the new administration is doing will not affect you. History tells us this is not a wise choice. An alternative choice is to build community wherever you are. In fact, I believe as a follower of Jesus, building community is our best choice as we boldly stand up to hate and fear.
Our undocumented neighbors need our protection. They are afraid. Those who once had protected status find their legal rights stripped. Recently documented citizens find themselves questioned because of their accents or brown skin. Undocumented migrants, desperately seeking work and fleeing unstable countries, have been categorized as dangerous criminals, even though they are less likely to commit crimes than native born citizens (according to the FBI). We can do something. We can build a protective community around immigrants now. Over the next few weeks, I will be posting in this blog simple things you can do to protect your undocumented neighbors. FIRST OF FOUR BLOGS: Identify Yourself as an Advocate Do you know someone who might be undocumented? This could be anyone: a mother in the school pickup line, an across the hall neighbor, the barista at your local coffee shop, a fellow classmate, or a co-worker. If you know nothing about their immigration status, that is fine. Now is not the time to be concerned you might offend someone. Have a conversation with this person. Be careful to do it privately. If having a private word with someone is not possible, skip ahead to my second set of suggestions. BEFORE you do anything, make sure to print off RED CARDS here. Red cards inform immigrants of their legal rights. Keep a few of these cards in your wallet, car, purse, back pack. Disseminating these cards is one of the most important things we can do to support our undocumented neighbors. First: Clearly identify yourself as an advocate with any of the following statements:
Second: If the individual responds with fear, verbally or physically, do not push. Quietly leave them a red card. If they do not have your contact information, leave that as well. Finally, before you leave, tell them again that you are grateful they are in your community. Third: If the individual responds with hope and relief, hand them a red card and tell them their rights. The #1 most important thing we can tell undocumented immigrants is the following: You do not need to open your door for ICE ever. For now, (this could change quickly), ICE can only obtain warrants through a legal process. Tell them again: do not open your door. Instruct them only to open their door for people they know. If they do not have a way to identify who is on the other side of their door, tell them to have a code word for all their friends and family. Finally, tell them to keep their doors locked at all times. Fourth: Make it clear that if for any reason ICE comes to their place of work or anywhere else, they do not have to speak with ICE. Encourage them to come up with plans for anywhere they frequent. For example, if they are at their workplace, where can they go to avoid ICE? If they are grocery shopping, do they know where the nearest bathroom is? Again, remind them that their constitutional rights protect them, even as undocumented citizens. They DO NOT have to speak with an ICE agent. Fifth: Finish the conversation and ask if you can meet again. Acknowledge that everything you told them is a lot and you understand they might feel overwhelmed. Make sure they have your contact info. Here is an ALTERNATIVE plan to identify yourself as an advocate to someone you can not have a private word with: The last thing we want to do to an undocumented person is “out them” in a public setting. That said, we cannot let this fear keep us from getting them valuable information. Each situation will be different. Know your setting. The best thing you can do is make sure this individual receives a red card and your contact information. Perhaps hand them a card. Inside the card simply write that you are an advocate and concerned about their safety. Somehow, make contact. You might be the only advocate they know. Learn more https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/immigrants-rights https://watsonimmigrationlaw.com/2025/01/22/know-your-rights-if-ice-visits-a-home-employer-or-public-space-english-and-spanish/ Dear Mothers,
|
Categories |
RSS Feed