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 219th
General Assembly
2010
Click here
for our index page on GA 2010 |
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PVJ Events at the
Assembly
Page 4: reporting on the PVJ /Voices of Sophia
Breakfast |
PVJ/Voices of Sophia speaker Chris Smith
reflects on de-centering privilege
‘Perhaps it’s time we move to
the margins.’
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| The Rev. Christine Smith
Photo by Danny Bolin, PNS |
MINNEAPOLIS, July 8, 2010
[posted here 7-12-10]
More than 100 people gathered early Tuesday for the
Presbyterian Voices of Justice (PVJ)/Voices of Sophia breakfast as part
of the 219th General Assembly (2010).The Rev.
Christine Smith, professor of preaching at United Theological Seminary,
Twin Cities, spoke to those gathered on “Reimagining Church:
De-Centering Privilege as an Act of Global Citizenship.”
“This notion of de-centering privilege requires
reimagining what it means to be human from those who are not
privileged,” began Smith. “Then the definition of (who are) God’s people
needs to reflect the more than three-fourths of his people who are not
so privileged.”
“As I walk into my furnished house and eat the food I
have – like this breakfast – and realize that I spend more on my dogs
than most people earn to support a family, I realize where I am in all
this and that I am not like most of God’s people, and that’s painful for
me,” Smith said.
She concluded by challenging attendees to examine the
center-to-margin concept. “We are guilty of creating a pseudo-reality
where we put ourselves in the center,” Smith said. “Perhaps it’s time we
moved to the margins.”
PVJ mission, in part, is to seek the wisdom of the
Spirit for following Christ’s example and for living into the hope of
sustained gender equality, racial reconciliation, full human rights for
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) persons, economic justice,
environmental wholeness, an end to war and all forms of violence and a
justice-loving shalom over all the earth.
NOTE:
We'll add more to this brief report as soon as we can, and hope to
have the full text of Dr. Smith's presentation, as well.
If you were there, and would like to add your comments,
just send a
note, to be shared here.
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Voices
sings a blessing to the new Moderator
[7/12/10]
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| Moderator Cindy Bolbach is blessed by the
Voices of Sophia Photo
by Danny Bolin, PNS. |
Moderator Cindy Bolbach arrived early for the PVJ/Voices
of Sophia breakfast, and we were delighted that she chose to stay for the
meal. Many of the women present, veterans of the Voices of Sophia
organization, and survivors of the many attacks against it as a clearly and
strongly feminist group within the church, stood and joining in singing
their traditional blessing for the new Moderator. Given the history of
the past couple decades of conservative attacks on the group, its leaders,
and numerous women members of the national staff, it was a rich and resonant
moment. |
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If you like what
you find here,
we hope you'll help us keep Voices for Justice going ... and
growing!
Please consider making a special
contribution -- large or small -- to help us continue and improve
this service.
Click here to send a
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Or send your check, made
out to "Presbyterian Voices for Justice" and marked "web site," to
our PVJ Treasurer:
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4007 Gibsonia Road
Gibsonia, PA 15044-8312 |
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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