David W. Swanson's (Occasional) Newsletter
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A Leviathan, Whiteness as Religion, and Brown Faces in White Places
May 25, 2024
Three timely books to help us understand systemic racism, Christian nationalism, and whiteness as a religion
Juneteenth and Worship
May 18, 2024
Why and how to include Juneteenth themes in corporate worship
Public and Humble Presence
May 4, 2024
Observations from a pro-Palestine encampment
Glory and Good
April 27, 2024
On living as Christ's free people in complicated times
Attention, Grief, and Love
April 20, 2024
On not looking away.
Living in the Aftermath of Theft
April 6, 2024
Learning to interpret a world organized by plunder.
Loving Opposition
March 23, 2024
Henri Nouwen, MLK's principles of nonviolence, and community-building confrontation.
Questioning the Brown v. Board Model of Reconciliation
March 2, 2024
When proximity to whiteness isn't the goal.
The Poet-Preacher
February 10, 2024
The latest issue of Comment includes an article by Walter Brueggemann adapted from his book about preaching, Finally Comes the Poet, first published in 1989....
Mustard Seeds and Yeast
February 3, 2024
At the conclusion of a recent ministry conference, I bumped into one of the organizers and was able to share how refreshing the experience had been. I'm not...
The Connection Between Racial and Environmental Injustice
January 20, 2024
The new book has a title.
How much to say in 2024? How loudly to say it?
January 6, 2024
Photo credit: Elena. How helpful is it to publicly oppose the MAGA-Trump movement in 2024? I've been wondering about this and am struggling to come up with...
God's Plans Are Better Than Ours
December 24, 2023
A Christmas Eve sermon.
Peacemaking Before the Parousia
December 16, 2023
I preached from 2 Peter 3:8-15 last Sunday. The passage ends, "Therefore, beloved, while you are waiting for these things, strive to be found by him at...
Maturity Matters
December 9, 2023
Yesterday I had two calls with people I've not met in person. The first was with a congregation out east, a mostly white church that has taken decisive steps...
Thankful
November 22, 2023
Leaf litter on a recent walk through a drizzly Jackson Park. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are a few things I'm thankful for. Beautiful architecture....
The Privilege of Uncomplicated Grief
November 18, 2023
The immature instinct to make complicated situations simple.
But do we love them?
October 28, 2023
Changing minds is more difficult than signaling self-righteousness.
Some Recommendations
August 12, 2023
Racial justice in Oregon, literary farm life in Illinois, fly fishing in Washington, and sabbath-keeping... everywhere.
Du Bois on (Mostly) Ignoring the Racists
July 31, 2023
Limiting the time spent defending the truth from those committed to ignorance.
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