Religion & Spirituality
What does it mean to embrace the revolutionary nature of Jesus - seeing ourselves as inextricably linked to the most marginalized: children on the border, folks caught up in the cycle of the prison industrial complex, etc.? How can we begin to cultivate transformation in our daily actions, and lean deeper into God’s grace. Join Emelda as she enters into a heartfelt discussion with Reverend Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft, Executive Minister for Justice, Education and Movement Building at Middle Collegiate Church. Rev. Amanda is also an activist, writer and founder of the online community, Raising Imagination, crediting its origins to her small town roots, the curiosity and openness of her three young children, the Presidential Election Cycle of 2016, the book The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt, the Theologian Walter Bruggeman, and her countless friends who, over time, expressed poignant interest in Amanda’s ability to seemingly incorporate an activist lifestyle with her family. Passionate about the intersection of poverty, faith, politics, and feminism, her work is cited on CNN, Refinery29 the Wall Street Journal, WNBC and the Women’s March, Inc. An ordained Minister, she’s presented nationwide on topics including systemic injustice, religion, and involving young children in advocacy. Originally from a small town in Kentucky, she now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, 4-year-old twin boys, 2-year-old girl and thinks pizazz & grit (along with a lot of love and justice) can change the world. In this episode, we explore - What it means to reclaim and reframe Christianity, centering the revolutionary message of Jesus (James 2:16 and Matthew 25:40) How standing alongside the least of these, and speaking out against oppression and injustices like racism, white supremacy, climate change, is in line with revolutionary nature of Christ. What steps we can begin now to uplift change - starting with our own families. We go deep in this dialogue, because God calls us to action. Grab your cup of coffee, tea or smoothie, and pull up a chair! Stay Connected with Rev. Amanda: Raising Imagination Middle Collegiate Church @middlechurch Twitter: @raisingimagine Instagram:Raising Imagination Additional Resources for Further Study: Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman White Fragility: Why It's so Hard for White People to Talk about Race by Robin DiAngelo Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad The Conscious Kid Rev. Dr. Kelly Brown Douglass, Stand Your Ground: Black Bodies and the Justice of God Stay Connected with Pray with our Feet: IG: @praywithourfeet Twitter: @praywithourfeet This podcast is generously edited by my hubby, Kes, a talented videographer / photographer / editor at www.keston.online