I’ve been immersed in watching animated films these days along with my toddler. Two of the movies in our daily rotation include Trolls and Sing (both 2016). Both are very well done. Both went to great lengths to offer something for parents as well as for children. And both, I believe, made efforts to avoid negative racial and cultural stereotypes. Yet, in both movies, some unfortunate mistakes fell through the cracks.
read moreFor forty days and forty nights
you wander in the wilderness
and face temptation
of body, heart, mind and spirit.
Without mentioning religion or spirituality, the movie Molly’s Game dissects the American soul by revealing an underground world of gambling and male domination. It shows how our national ideal of material and financial success, with all the trimmings of status and power, can lead to unharnessed greed, self-destruction, and actualization of hell on earth.
read moreThis post is an orientation to our virtual pilgrimage — which I am so excited about! Together, we will journey to 12 Black Madonnas all over the globe — from the Caribbean to Latin America to Asia to Africa and Europe. Each stop on our pilgrimage will include four invitations — (1) to consider my own brief reflections about how cultural perceptions of race and gender impact our experience of the Divine, (2) to engage an idea/piece of art/beauty as we think about our own experiences of the Divine, (3) to reflect on several questions either individually or in community, and (4) to practice a different way of interacting with the world that will hopefully open us up to new experiences of the Divine.
read moreThis is public theology. As precious Patrons, I’m inviting you in to my theological process. Beginning on Ash Wednesday (March 6) and concluding on Good Friday (April 19), each week I will publish a photo and brief reflection on each of Christ’s 7 Last Words on the Cross.
read moreAs a biracial woman (Native American/European), I thought it would be good to take the time to write this song to honor all of my grandmothers (and grandfathers) who were burned alive, drowned alive, raped, beaten and tortured in torture chambers for being so called “witches” and “warlocks”
read moreBig hair, big smiles, and a whole lot of love- Wild-hearted globe-trotter Dustin Thomas is making waves from America to Australia with his infectious blend of beat-box/soul-folk.
read more2002 returns with their 18th full-length album, A World Away. The six vocal and four instrumental songs are new and all original, and cover much of 2002’s vast sonic palette- from progressive and pop new age, to their neoclassical and ambient roots. Thematically, the album is a cosmic love story, of kindred spirits traveling together through many times and many worlds, becoming lost and separated from one another, and finally reunited.
read moreMIRRORS is Sangeeta Kaur’s third spiritual, new age/classical, crossover album. This vocally strong and mesmerizing album features renown composer and producer, Nicolas Neidhardt on piano and keyboard as well as the multi- instrumentalist, Dat Nguyen on guitars and flute.
read moreI climbed up a lion of rock
There overlooking the swirls of the world
All the shifting of sands that I saw
Conflicting energy giving and taking,
The fluid grace of it all
Billowing shadows of clouds in the sand
While the waves lay down all stretched and taught
Folding and wrinkling back to the source of it all
Gungor featuring Michael and Lisa Gungor perform an acoustic version of “Beautiful Things” from BEAUTIFUL THINGS CD to be released on Feb. 16, 2010 on Brash Music.
read moreRobert O’Sullivan, a retired high school English teacher and pastor, has called for “flash choirs” of Christmas carolers to assemble frequently at the White House and throughout the land, using carol verses old and new to combat destructive chaos and remind people that Christians should work for peace, justice, care of the earth, equality and love, especially as it applies to the most vulnerable.
read moreI AM MOUNTAIN (Michael Gungor / Lisa Gungor) I am mountain, I am dust Constellations made of us There’s glory in the dirt A universe within the sand Eternity within a man We are ocean, we are mist Brilliant fools who wound and kiss There’s beauty in the dirt Wandering in skin and soul Searching, longing for a home As the light, light Lights up the skies, up the skies We will fight, fight Fight for our lives, for our lives I am mountain, I am dust Constellations made of us There’s mystery in the dirt The metaphors are breaking down We taste the wind and sight is sound As the light, light Lights up the skies, up the skies We will fight, fight Fight for our lives, for our lives 2x Momentary carbon stories From the ashes Filled with holy ghost Life is here now Breathe it all in Let it all go You are earth and wind
read moreSing with them, ye humans bold!
Sing of peace, justice unfold!
Ring the bells of liberty;
Ring them loud ‘til all are free.
Watch excerpts from our interview with Yolanda Pierce, associate professor of African-American religion and literature at Princeton Theological Seminary, as she talks about the new movie “12 Years a Slave” and about Christianity and slavery in America. Her most recent book is “Hell without Fires: Slavery, Christianity, and the African-American Spiritual Narrative” (University Press of Florida, 2005).
read moreAllison Rossiter is making her “Gratitude Design” available to churches and other non-profit organizations for free.
read moreNew lyrics to the tune Jerusalem.
read more