March 2023: Sins of the Heart

Publisher |BishopGeoffreyWoodcroft

Editor

|JudeClaude

Accounting |JoyValencerina

Advertising |AngelaRush

Layout&design | cityfolkcreative.ca

Rupert’sLandNews ispublished10timesper year(September-June)bytheDioceseof Rupert’sLand,intheAnglicanChurchin Canada.Itconnectschurchesandcommunities fromPortagelaPrairie,MB,toAtikokan,ON, byofferingnews,events,opinions,andideas to4,000readerspermonth.RLNisavailablein avarietyofformats:

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RLNexiststoexploreissuesattheintersections offaithandlife.Indoingsowesolicitand publisharangeofopinions,notallofwhich reflecttheofficialpositionsoftheDiocese. Weacknowledgethatwemeetandworkin Treaty1,2,and3Land,thetraditionallandof theAnishinaabe,Cree,andDakotapeopleand thehomelandoftheMetisNation.Weare gratefulfortheirstewardshipofthislandand theirhospitalitywhichallowsustolive,work, andserveGodtheCreatorhere.

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Contentscopyright2023by Rupert’sLand News.Allrightsreserved.

Cover: NikShuliahin

Calling,Awareness, andRepentance

mayfindsinilluminated.ThegiftofLentisthat Godisfaithfulinthisprocess.Wheneverwe listenandmakespaceforGod’sword,weare offeredtheinterconnectedgiftsofcalling, awareness,andrepentance—callingtowards liberationandthebuildingofalternatewaysof life,awarenessoflimitationanddependence, andrepentanceofsinsknownandunknown.

Thehymnquotedabovenamessinthroughan echoofthescripturalcallto“lovetheLordyour Godwithallyourheart,andwithallyoursoul, andwithallyourmight”(Deut6:5).

What’sinnertous,oratourheart,isformed inlargepartbyouroutercircumstances,and theconditionsinwhichwecometobe.

IntheExodusnarrative,the“heart”ofthe Israelitepeopleisboundupintheirmaterial captivity,andindividuals’sinscannotbe understoodexceptthroughreferenceto collectivewell-being.TheIsraelites,underthe ruleofEgypt,arecompelledtowork,and unabletoworshiptheirGod.Inbondageto Egypt,theyarecompelledtoparticipatein idolatry,workinginserviceofpowerswhichthey havecommittedtoscorn.

Wemayrelatetothiscollectivityofsin,and thewaysinwhichindividualsareinseparable fromthesystemstheyareformedin.Wherelies thesin,forinstance,intherecent Ohiotrain derailmentchemicalspill?Theissueisnotfully describedthroughreferencetogreed, carelessness,apathyoranyother solely moral answer.Inadditiontotheseaspectsisthefact thatall,includingcorporations,arepresently compelled bymarketforcestoparticipateina destructiveorder,whilesufferingimmediately fallsuponthosewithoutpower.

Giventhatoursinsaresoinextricable,what shouldwedo?

Sinisknownagainstcallstojusticeand illuminatedbyafaithinotherwisepossibilities. Thereishopeinnamingsinaspervasive, ongoing,andembedded,oftenunknown,in ourcollective“heart.”Insittingwithourcallsto loveGodwithheart,soulandmindandtolove ourneighboursasourselves(Matt22:37-39),we

InthecaseofIsrael,thenationisgradually calledoutfromEgyptwiththevisionofthe promisedlandbeforethem.Collectivesin requirescollectivetransformation,whichcannot beaccomplishedsolelythroughindividuals,but requiresacompletetransformationofthesocial order.TheIsraelites,afterescapingEgypt,are giventhegiftofthelawinthewilderness,which istodirecttheminlivingjustlywitheachother andbeforeGod.Thoughtheyfailcontinuously, thislawallowsthemanopportunityforcalling, awareness,andrepentance,whichweechoin Lent.WheneverwemakespaceforGod’sword wemayberenewed,inspired,andsustained towardstransformation.

Thisissuefeaturescontributionsconcerned with“sinsoftheheart.”InourCommunity Catechesissection,GwenMcAllisterintroduces readerstotheKoreanconceptofhanandits connectiontosin,asoutlinedbytheologian AndrewSungPark.Then,MerrillGrant,Kaitlyn Duthie-Kannikkatt,andSandraBendereach reflectoninstitutionalsininrelationtothe wellbeingofsexandgenderdiverse populations.NextRLNfeaturesagenerativeart piecebyartistMeganKrause,whosework offersmeditationson“the pushandpullthat happensbetween humansandnature”and the“unrelentingpowerof natureandtherespectit deserves”.Finally,this issueconcludeswitha reviewofDr.J.Kameron Carter’swebinar Fromthe ReligionofWhitenessto ReligionOtherwise.

JudeClaudeistheeditor ofRupert'sLandNews.

Nowisthehealingtimedecreed Forsinsofheartandwordanddeed -Nowisthehealingtimedecreed

Photo:PatrickPerkins

SinsoftheHeart

societalundercurrentsofdestructivecultural normalcy,whitefragility,andprivilege,while remainingsuspendedunderacanopyofpower andauthority?

AsIthinkofKingSolomonandhiswisdom concerningpowerandauthority,Ifindmyego threatened:“Wasmytoilallfornothing?Didmy toilingaboutinfactpreventanotherchildof Godfromhaving enough?”

SoIbecamegreatandsurpassedallwhowere beforemeinJerusalem;alsomywisdom remainedwithme.WhatevermyeyesdesiredI didnotkeepfromthem;Ikeptmyheartfromno pleasure,formyheartfoundpleasureinallmy toil,andthiswasmyrewardforallmytoil.Then Iconsideredallthatmyhandshaddoneandthe toilIhadspentindoingit,andagain,allwas vanityandachasingafterwind,andtherewas nothingtobegainedunderthesun.

SoIturnedtoconsiderwisdomand madnessandfolly;forwhatcantheonedowho comesaftertheking?Onlywhathasalready beendone.ThenIsawthatwisdomexcelsfolly aslightexcelsdarkness.

Thewisehaveeyesintheirhead,butfools walkindarkness.

-Ecclesiastes1.9-14

Thisawesomelittlechunkofthebookof Ecclesiastesisdisruptingmyfragileego.Itis causingmetoemptymyselfofassumptions,and toexploretheliesItellmysoul.

Solomontellsusthatallourtoilingisinvain, andthatcausesmetothinkthatyour vain toiling meeting-upwithmy vaintoiling maycause hurtanddamageinthisworld.Doingthesame thingsdayinanddayout,withoutcomprehension ofthewaysweeffecttheworld,bringspeoplelike Solomontowritebooksofwisdom.

WhatevermyeyesdesiredIdidnotkeep fromthem.IfindpleasureinwhatIlike—my favouritemusic,prayers,food,colours,andso on—accessingtheminandapplyingthemto muchofwhatIdoday-to-day.HaveIalso subconsciouslydesiredandappliedinsidious

IcanseehowandwhySolomonwouldseek wisdomontheseveryquestions.Hisfather preparedforhimvastriches,allfromthe Hebrewpeople,tobuildthetempleforGod. Financedandbuiltbythepeoplewhoremained undertheresponsibilityoftheking,thishouse wastobethesignofGodmeetingthosesame people. Vanityofvanities. Solomon understandsthatfromonekingtothenexta traditionofviolenceandresourceextraction repeateditself,asitwieldedpowerand authority.Solomon,however,cametoanew reckoning,thatwhichwisdomexposed,hewas calledtobreakthecyclebygivingpowerand authoritybacktothepeople,andstillretain whatwasmostnecessarytoleadinanewway.

Christhasbeencalledtowhatweseeasthe margins.TodayIaskifthesin/darkness/folly beforeSolomonistheverysamesinoftheheart thatourpowerandauthorityhaveusedtocreate marginsandotherness.Christgoestothehome oftheheartineveryperson;withGodnoone andnothingismarginal.ChristgoestoALLthose forwhomsafetyanddignityhavebeendenied. ChristgoestoIndigenouspeopleboundinour colonialdarkness,who begreconciliationfrom thosewhobearpower.In ourcontext,Christdwells withanearthharmedby humangreed,follyand ignorance.

Inallplaceswhichwe havenamedmarginal, Goddwells.Ifwewishto movefromfollytolight, wewillfindGodwaiting forusthere.

GeoffreyWoodcroft, BishopofRupert’sLand

GeoffreyWoodcroft

Photo:Aedrian

BlameandAlsoSuffering: SinandtheKoreanConceptofHan inSeekingSalvation

GwenMcAllister

Theword“sin”carriessomuchbaggagefor mostofusthatitcanfailtobeusefulinourquest forspiritualwholenessinselfandworld.For manyitisirrelevant,anattempttocreate needlessguiltandthereforetheneedfor forgiveness.Ithasevenbeenharmful,teaching generationsofchildrenthattheyarebadatthe core,andoftenthattheyonlyescapedivine punishmentbybeingsubservient,unquestioning rule-followersforthehierarchyofthehousehold, school,church,employer,state,orlessobvious socialstructuresthattheymightfindthemselves in.Salvationfromthisperspectiveappearsto comebystatingbeliefinChrist,butinactuality comesthroughachievinghigherpositionsof powerinthehierarchy,andsobeingrelievedof theweightofsomuchobedienceandsupposed tendencyto“sin”–thatis,tendencytobe discontent,rebellious,ordespairing.

Theideathatdespairisasin(writtenabout bytheologianJürgenMoltmann)isoften quotedbypeopleoffaith.Todemandjust wagesandconditionsinworksituations;toend acrushingsituationbyleavingone’sspouse;to self-medicateusingprescribedorunprescribed drugs;tostealfoodwhenhungryfromthose whohaveplenty;eventoenddeepsuffering throughsuicide–thesehavebeencalledsin.

Thisisanunderstandingofsininwhichthose whoaresufferingcarrytheburdenofthe world’s,thehome’s,thesociety’ssin;inwhich theconsequencesofsufferingorthemeansto surviveitarecalledsin.Salvation’sresults,then, wouldbeseenasfittingintoourcircumstances withoutstruggleorcomplaint.

TheologianAndrewSungPark,aKorean AmericanandMethodist, hasexpandedsuch anincompleteandmanipulatedunderstanding ofsinandsalvationbybringingintodiscussion ofthesetheKoreanconceptof han.Han,he says,istheresultofsufferinggreatinjustice, helplessness,orabandonment;itiswhat happenstoapersonorapeople’sheartwhen circumstancesresultinbitterness,despair,ora desireforrevenge,andtheheartremainsstuck withthefeelingsunresolved(19).Han, accordingtoPark,isadestructionoftheself’s organizingcentre,andoftencontinuescyclesof violenceorotheroppression(18).

FromwithintheperspectiveofMinjung theology(Koreanliberationtheology),Sung Parknameshanasadefiningcharacteristicof theKoreanpeople,asaconsequenceoftheir longhistoryofsufferinginvasionandcontrolby Japan,China,Russia,andtoanextentthe UnitedStates.Buthanisalsoexperiencedon

Photo:Valentin

anindividualandfamilylevel.“Sinisofthe oppressor,”Parkstatesin TheWoundedHeart ofGod:TheAsianConceptofHanandthe ChristianDoctrineofSin,“hanisofthe oppressed”(69).

WrittenbyParkin1993, TheWounded HeartofGod drawsonaculturalunderstanding ofhanmucholderthanthecurrentconceptof trauma,whichhasbeendevelopedtoexplain thegreatdamageresultingwhenasufferer’s supportsandtheirownabilitytodealwithharm areoverwhelmed.Likethebitterwatersof MarahinExodus(Ex15:22-27),hanneeds treatment, careandhelp(20).

Regardingidentifyingtheresponsesof thosewhosufferinoursocietyassin,Parksays thatwhetherpersonallyorovergenerations,“A charactertraitwhichhasbeendevelopedbythe infringementofoutsideforcescannotbecalled sin.Itisinsteadhan,theseatofthewoundof victims.…Whenthesinfulpropensitiesof parents[oragenerationorsocietalculture]are transmittedtotheirchildren,itisnotsin,but ratherhanwhichtheyinherit.”Theunfairnessof this,hestates,“istheverystructureofhan.”Our needisforsalvationfrommorethanourownsin, butalsofromoursufferinganditsbitterfruit.

“Inordertoanalyzetheproblemofhuman evil,sinandhanmustbediscussedandtreated together.…Christiansalvation(wholeness) encompassestherealityofsinandhan interwoven…”(70).Whilesomeofushave morepoweranduseit,whetherornotweare awareofit,todoharm,Parkseesthe experienceofsinandhaninthelivesofmost,if notall,people:“thecomplexentanglementof sinandhanintherealityoflife”(70).Itwould benefitustomakeroomforbothinour understandingofsin,repentance,confession, andsalvation.Byputtingallourfocusonwho canbeblamed,onsinandsinners,wemissboth thepeopleandtheawarenesswhichwould invitesalvation–thehealingandwholenessthat Christbrings,inthebestofourfaithtradition–toourrelationshipsandworld.

Inshort,Parktellsus,Jesussavessinners, Jesussavesvictims,Jesuscomestorestorethe

whole:thewholeofourselves,ourpartinGod’s interrelatedworld,allcreaturesandearth together.Wearethenfreedtoknow repentanceaslargerthanourselvesandour ownwrongdoing,asinvolvinglearningthrough relationship,hearingthestrugglesandstories ofothers,andunderstandingourown wrongdoinginthecontextofthewhole.

Thensinnerandsinned-against,oppressor andoppressed,thecombinationofthesethat weare,canreceivethesamepromiseGod madeinEzekieltothepeopleofIsraelasthey werebeingrenewedinrepentancefromsin:“I willremovefromyourbodytheheartofstone andgiveyouaheartofflesh.…Iwillputmy spiritwithinyou…andyoushallbemypeople, andIwillbeyourGod.”Inthiswayweareopen tolettinghanresolve,opentoexperiencing salvationinitswholeness.

TheseasonofLentisatimesetasidefor prayerfulself-reflection,forrepentance,for seekingwaysofdoingrightinrelationshipto others,andforseekingdepthinourlivesin Christ.

Whenwetaketimeforconfession,wedon’t needtocompartmentalizeaspectsofourselves; wedon’tevenneedtoidentifywhoistoblame forallaspectsofourbrokenness.Confession canbeanofferingofourwholeselvestoGod,a bringingofourtangledmessintotheopenness ofGod’shealinglight.We bringoursinandourhan toGod,thatwemight learnandgrow,seewhere weneedchangein ourselves,seewherewe arehurt;thatwemightin ourrelationships, communities,andworld seeknotsomuchto assignblamebuttoend harmandgrowwell together;thatwemight knowtheimmensityand completenessofthe salvationofferedbyour faith.

GwenMcAllisterisRectorof St.Matthew’s,Winnipeg,a gradoftheCentrefor ChristianStudies,andan alumnusoftheStudent ChristianMovement.She livesinWinnipeg’sWestEnd withherchild,Keith,where theytendtheircats,plants, andyardbirds.

TheChurchofEnglandrecentlyhasagain refusedtoallowsame-sexmarriage,while institutingsomeblessingsforsexandgender diversepersons.Whilenotunderthedictate ofChurchofEnglanddeterminationsabout themarriagecanon,2SLGBTQIA+personsin Canada,eveninofficially“affirming” communitieshavebeensubjectedtorenewed "bothsides"discoursewhichportraysthese

issuesasmattersofdisagreementfeltas more-or-lessequallypainfulonallsides.In general,2SLGBTQIA+voiceshavenotbeen centered,andthediscoursehasfailedto adequatelyexpressdynamicsofoppression, ortocallforjustice.

OnSunday,February19,2023,the expressionsatan Evensongservicehostedat HolyTrinityAnglicanChurch weremarkedly different.OrganizedbyqueerAnglicansand withaliturgyaffirming2SLGBTQIA+Christians, thisservice,alongwiththefood,conversation andfriendshipfollowing,offeredessential nourishmenttothosegathered.Duringthe serviceMatthewBowmanpreached:

AsbothfullyGodandfullyhuman,Jesus occupieswhattheologianKwokPui-Lan describesasa“liminal”or“hybrid”space,a spacethatexistsasasortofborderland,his bodyblurringthebordersbetweendivinityand humanity.Queerbodiesoftenoccupysimilar liminalorhybridspaces,transgressingsocietal expectationsofgenderorsexuality,blurring distinctionsandbreakingfalsebinaries.IfJesus, God’sownchild’sbodyisaqueer,transgressive body,thissaystomethatthoseofuswho identifyasqueerarecreatedintheimageand likenessofGod,notinspiteofourqueerness, butbecauseofourqueerness.It’sinqueer bodiesthatGodrevealsGodselfasaGodwho disruptsnormsandtransgresseslines.Farfrom beingsinful,orsomethingtobetoleratedyet secretlylookeddownupon,queernessisholy.It liesattheveryheartofGod,andqueervoices andbodiesarecriticaltotheflourishingofthe BodyofChrist,arecriticaltotheChurchliving intobeingitstruestself.TheGospelhasalways beenqueer,andqueernessisholy.

Thisfeaturehopestocontinuetheworkof centeringholyqueervoicesbyspotlighting threereflectionsfrom2SLGBTQIA+persons connectedwiththeDioceseofRupertsland oninstitutionalsinandthewell-being ofsexualandgenderdiversepersonsinthe Anglicanchurch.

InstitutionalSin andthe Well-beingof 2SLGBTQIA+ Persons

Photo:SeanSinclair

BeyondJust“HurtFeelings”

Weareinthemidstofamoralpanic,centered on2SLGBTQIA+people.Thisisatruththatwe, asjustice-seekingpeople,shouldacknowledge, understand,andreactto.Thispanicisevident inthe hundredsofanti-translaws being introducedintheUnitedStates,andinthe hatefilledprotestsofqueereventsandvenues.We alsoseeitinthedemagogueryofpopulist politiciansandreligiousleaders.Wealsosee theoutcomeofthismoralpanicintheincrease ofviolencetowards queer and trans people throughouttheworld.

Overthepreviousyears,queerandtrans Anglicanshavehadourlivessubjectedto “debate”and“conversation,”oftenbypeople chargedwithourpastoralcareandwithchurch leadership,andofteninforumsthatwehave littlesayin.Theoppositiontoourrights,dignity, andinclusionisframedasa“differenceof opinion,”andinjusticesdonetousas“hurt feelings.”Thisseriouslymisconstruestheactual harmdone,whichisthecontinualwhittling awayofthehumanityof2SLGBTQIA+people. Whenourdignity,rightsandneedsareseenas somethingnegotiableordebatable,it degradesoursafetyandhasreal,tangible effectsonourlives.

I’vebeencarefullywatchingthese “debates”playout:whetherit’sthedebate aroundamendingthemarriagecanon,the ArchbishopofCanterburyaffirmingthatoursex livesare“sinful”,parents“concerned”about 2SLGBTQIA+booksinlibraries,andpanic aboutourmedicalcare,sportsparticipation,or washroomuse.Theyallhavethesameeffect, beyondjust“hurtfeelings.”Thetrueeffect thesethingshaveisthecreationand perpetuationofaclimatewhereweareseenas unwanted,aninconvenience,orevena dangerousthreat.

Wearewellbeyondthepointwhere apologiesorplatitudesareeffectivewaysto combatthehatredbeingpiledupon 2SLGBTQIA+people.Recently,PopeFrancis, TheArchbishopofCanterbury,andThe ModeratoroftheChurchofScotlandall condemnedanti-gaylaws.Whilethisis welcomed,andextremelyoverdue,itdoeslittle tostemthetideofhatethatwearefacing.

Aslongasthelivesandhumanityof 2SLGBTQIA+peopleareseenasappropriate andsuitablefordebate,wewillcontinuetoface marginalization,exclusionandviolence.

MerrillGrant

Photo:SeanSinclair

MypartnerandIgotengagedrightaroundthe timethattheAnglicanChurchofCanadawas deciding whethertoallowsame-sexmarriage withinourchurch.Whenthevotefailed,largely becauseoflingeringresistanceintheHouseof Bishops, ourstorywasmadepublic aswe copedwithwhatthisdecisionwouldmeanfor ourplans,forourabilitytogetmarriedinthe churchwecalledhome,andforourwillingness tocontinuetoidentifyasmembersofachurch thatdidn’tseemtowantus.

Intheaftermathofthatdecision,wehad countlesspeoplereachouttoustoaffirmthat wewereloved,thatwewerefullandvalued membersofthechurch,thattheywere outragedbythisdecisionandwouldcontinue tofightit.Wehadneverfeltlikeanythingless thanfamilyinourhomechurch.Butwheneven

TheWarmEmbrace ofOurCommunity

theBishopreachedouttouspersonallytotell usthathewasgoingtoensurethatqueer coupleswishingtomarryinhisdiocesewould beabletodosowiththefullsupportofthe church,wefelttrulycelebrated—likeeveryone thatmatteredhadourbacks.Wewouldhaveto keepfightingforoursiblingswhose communitieswerelesssupportive.Butthe powersthatbewhohadpulledeverytrickinthe rulebooktoensurethismarriagevotegot defeated?Itseemedtheonlythingtheyhad reallyaccomplishedwastoprovethemselves outoftouchandnotworthlisteningto.

Ourfriendsfromoutsidethechurchwere (andinmanycasesremain)kindofperplexed aboutwhatweseeinthisarchaicinstitutionthat isworthfightingfor.ButwhenIlookaroundat mycommunity,it’shardtopicturelivingoutmy

KaitlynDuthie-Kannikkatt

Photo:SeanSinclair

faithanywhereelse.Inourmessiness,inour diversity,inourwillingnesstocalleachother intodeeperrelationship,inourshowingupfor oneanotherduringthemostjoyousandmost difficultofmoments,inourlaughter,inour grittyafter-churchcoffeecups,thiscommunityI knowas“church”embodieswhatqueerlove, forme,hasalwaysbeenabout.Itisaboutbeing abletoshowupasyourwholeselfandbeing heldandcelebrated.Thatkindofqueerloveis soworthfightingfor,whetherit’sonthedance floor,onarattylivingroomcouch,inthestreets, orinachurchpew.

Idowantthechurchtogetsame-sex marriageonthebooks—everywhere,and withouthesitation.Iwantthetirelessworkof queerpeopleandtheiralliesinthechurchto finallysucceedinchangingpolicy.Forme, changehasalreadycomeinmostoftheways thatmatter.Wehavebeenluckyenoughtofeel thewarmembraceofourcommunityregardless ofwhatofficialchurchteachingstates.Iwant thatfeelingforallmyqueersiblings,nomatter whichchurchtheyfindthemselvesin.Butwhere myfaithintheinstitutionalChurchtobring aboutthiskindoftransformationisbasically non-existent,myfaithinthesmall“c”churchto findwaystocontinuetogrowinloveforone anotherissignificantlylarger.

Kaitlyn(she/her)andher partnerMoerecently transplantedtoMi'kma'kibut stillconsidertheDioceseof Rupert'sLandinTreaty1 territoryhome.Sheis completingaPhDatthe UniversityofManitobaand worksonfoodsovereignty andforesthealthatthe CanadianBiotechnology ActionNetwork.

Photo:Evie

Butnow,thisiswhattheLordsays— hewhocreatedyou,Jacob, hewhoformedyou,Israel: “Donotfear,forIhaveredeemedyou; Ihavesummonedyoubyname; youaremine.”

–Isaiah43:1

IhavegrownupintheChurch—involvedinit throughoutmyyouthandemployedbyitforthe majorityofmyadultlifeasaclassicalsinger, conductor,andliturgist.Andforallofmylife, theChurchhasgivenmethesimultaneous messagethatIambothtoomuchandyetnot enough.ForyearsitwasthatIwastooyoung. Then,suddenly,Iwastooknowledgeable,too talented,andtoovocal.ApriestIlonglooked uptooncetoldmethatIam“toopowerful,”

thatmy(apparentlyandpreviouslyunknownto me)charismaandpowerwerea“danger”and franklyunwelcome.Andyet,Iwasalsolacking: lackingthewisdomthatparenthoodshould havebroughtmehadIonlybeen“selfless” enoughtohaveproducedchildren,lackingin thecorrectfamilialstructurestogivemean automaticplaceintheheteronormativemould whichtheChurchsoferventlyupholds.Forall mylifeIhavehadtouneasilywonderwhich “excess”or“lack”wastoblameeachtimeIran intowallswithintheChurch:Wasitmygender? Myqueerness?Myneurodivergencemakingme comeacrossastoodirect?Whenyouexistasa personwhoseidentityconsistsofmultiple factorsthatarenottypicalofthosewhohave alwaysheldpowerintheAnglicanChurch,it’s rarelyclear.

BeingQueer,Female,Neurodivergent,and“Too Powerful”intheAnglicanChurch SandraBender

Photo:SeanSinclair

ThefactisthattheChurchhaslongbeenan oppressorofthe2SLGBTQIA+community, alongwithmanyothermarginalizedgroups.As achildwhowasbulliedbadlythroughoutmy schoolyears,Ihavebecomeanadultwhois highlyattunedtomicro-andmacroaggressions.TherecentdecisionoutofEngland isanactofdirectharmtoourcommunity. RatherthanmodellingthebehaviouroftheOne whocametosufferourpainwithus,whospent histimechallengingsystemsofpowerand oppression,theChurchhasbecome synonymouswiththeverysystemsthatput Christtodeath,whoholdpowerandwon’t relinquishit,whofurthermarginalizethose alreadysidelinedbymainstreamsociety.Weas theChurchmustneverforgetthatChristcame toandaspartofanoppressedpeople,thathis messagetothedowntroddenwastofindways tochallengethosesystems,whilehismessage tothoseinpowerwasoneofdisruptionanda calltoletgoofwealth,power,andsystemsof disenfranchisement.Ifmysiblingsinthe 2SLGBTQIA+communityareoutofpatience withtheinstitutionwhenitcomesto recognizingourfullpersonhoodinevery respect,withthefailureoftheChurchtoeven acknowledge,muchlesschallengeandchange itsownsystemsofoppression,Icannotblame them.Whenwestillhearofargumentsover changingbathroomsignage,ofparishes’refusal toannouncetheAnglicanpresenceinthePride parade,whenclergymembers’non-normative marriagepartnersareactivelynotincludedat conferences,whenleadersrefusetocallout eachother’sdeliberateactsofoppressionand sin,Iseeinstitutionalsin.

Atatimewheneveryparishinthediocese iswrestlingwithdifficultquestionsaboutthe future,nowmorethaneverdoestheChurch needpeoplewithvocationandgiftstoshare. Yetmanyofthoseverypeopleare,atbest,not beingadequatelywelcomedintostructuresthat haven’tgiventhoughttotheirexistence,andat worst,beingactivelydrivenaway.Theironyis poignantandpainful.

IthasbeensometimesinceIstopped beingafraidtousemyownvoiceinevery

possiblesense.Ihavelostmyfearofbeingseen as“toomuch”fortheChurch,despitethe recurringactsofhurtIexperienceassomeone whoispartofit.WhatIknow,andpraythatmy siblingsinthe2SLGBTQIA+communitycanstill see,isaGodwhohascalleduseachbyname–ourown,chosennames–andclaimedusas God’sown,inthecomplexityofouridentities, inourbeauty,inthetalentswithwhichwewere gifted,andmostofall,inourpower.

SandraBender(she/her)is theMusicMinistry Coordinator&People’s WardenatHolyTrinity AnglicanChurchandworksat theCanadianMuseumfor HumanRights.

AbouttheArtist

Byjuxtaposingorganicandsyntheticimages,Meganexaminesthepushand pullthatoccursbetweenhumansandnature.Inthespacesinbetweenshe strivestocapturetheephemeralqualities,thewind,andenergy,the breathingenvironment,thosereliableelementsthatremindusofthe unrelentingpowerofnatureandtherespectitdeserves.

Learnmoreabouttheartistandexploreherartworksat megandkrause.com

Review:

Dr.J.KameronCarter's"FromtheReligion ofWhitenesstoReligionOtherwise"

OnlinelecturebyDr.J.KameronCarter,givenonFeb23,2023,sponsoredbyThe UniversityofWinnipeg’sDepartmentofReligionandCulture.Thislecturewas madepossiblethroughtheNewcombeFamilyFoundation.

Throughreferencetonumerousworksby culturaltheoristandcivilrightsactivistW.E.B. DuBois(1868-1963)Carter’stalkpresentedand clarifiedtheframeworkof“Whiteness”as “apocalypticcosmology,”and“Blackness”as “postapocalypticpoeticliving,”drawingfrom hisforthcomingpublications TheAnarchyof BlackReligion:AMysticSong (DukeUniversity Press,August2023),and TheReligionof Whiteness:AnApocalypticLyric (YaleUniversity Press).

Whiteness,Carterexplained,isrelatedto, butnotequivalentto,whitepeople.Inoutlining histalk,Carternames“settlerism”asanother nameforWhiteness.Inshort,Whitenessinvolves practicesofownershipanddominationuniquely definedbyanti-Blacknessandthehistoryofthe trans-Atlanticslavetrade,andpresentinall historiesofsettlerism.Theproblemsof Whitenessarethusnotlimitedtoopenlyracistor whitesupremacistlogic,butundergirdallsocial, political,andreligiousformsinthelegacyof thesehistories.TheagentsofWhitenessarethus notsolelywhitepeople,thoughwhitepeople tendtobenefitfromWhitenesswhile marginalizedgroupssufferitsfallout.Whiteness iswitnessedinthehistoricalcomplexofChristian societies,settler-colonialism,andcapitalism.

AccordingtoCarter,Christianthoughthas playedafundamentalroleinhistoriesof Whiteness.Whitenessoperatesviaan “apocalypticmessianism”whichitderives, explicitlyornot,fromChristianthought. Christianityisenamouredwiththetranscendent, thatwhichitunderstandstobebeyondthe apparentchaosofcreation,andwhichhas ultimateruleoverthiscreation.Inturn Christianityhashadatendencyto1.operateas thoughviolenthierarchicalpatternsof dominanceandownershiparebasictoreality, and2.projecttranscendentstandardsonto creation,naturalizingviolenceandinjusticeas “thewayitis.”Whitenessis“apocalyptic” becauseitclaimsaccesstoultimatetruth,and becauseitisresponsibleformassdestructionas itattemptstoassertitstruth.It“destroysby seizing.”

OneexampleCarterusedof“apocalyptic messianism”involvedthemissionaryschemas ofsettler-colonialism.Effortstocolonizeand evangelizeIndigenouspeopleshavehistorically beenenactedunderthepremisethatcolonized subjectsare“heathens”whoneedtobe “saved”or“civilized.”Christiansocieties imposetheirviolenceonothersbypresuming thattheseothersneedtobe“saved.”

JudeClaude

Photo:PawelCzerwinski

Cartersuggestedthat,infact,attherootof thesemissionaryeffortsliesWhiteness’need, nottosaveothers,buttosaveitself,toshore itselfup,bymakingallelsesubjecttoitslogic. Whiteness“performsitselfinthefaceof resistance.”Its“projectofimposition”is,in fact,“Whitenessworkingoutitssalvation,” affirmingitspracticesofownershipand dominationbylayingclaimtoanythingwhich resiststhislogic,making“ownable”allelse.

ThefactthatWhitenesscontinuestoneedto performitself,thatthereisresistancewhichit continuallyneedstoconquer,suggeststhatitis notinfacttotalizing,andthatthereareaspectsof realitywhichcontinuallyexceeditsgrasp. Blacknessreferstothatwhichexceedsoris otherwisetoWhiteness.Blackness,accordingto Carter,“release(s)earthfrompracticesof ownership,”“undoingtheshoringupthat happenswithtranscendence.”In“Black ecology”thedistinctionswhichdifferentiate dominantanddominatedandwhichmaintain hierarchyarewithered.Blacknessisseenin “postapocalypticpoeticliving,”ina“futurethat can’tbenarrated,”whichis“nameless,wordless” initsinabilitytobenarratedbyWhiteness,but whichinsomeregardresists,escapes,oris fugitivefrom,thetotalizingeffortsofWhiteness. Blacknessoffersthepossibilityof“newsocialities afterWhiteness”preciselybecauseitis “incalculable,experimental,”and“incomplete.”

Dr.J.KameronCarter isProfessorofReligious StudiesatIndianaUniversity,Bloomington wherehealsoisco-directorofIU’sCenterfor ReligionandtheHuman.ProfessorCarter engagesquestionsofBlackness,race,political theology,andecologythroughwhathecalls “theblackstudyofreligion.”Heistheauthorof Race:ATheologicalAccount(OxfordUniversity Press,2008)andeditorofaspecialissueofthe journalAmericanReligion.Thatspecialissueis titledTheMatterofBlackReligion:Thinking withCharlesH.Long(2021).ProfessorCarteris theauthorofthemuchanticipatedTheAnarchy ofBlackReligion:AMysticSong(Duke UniversityPress,forthcoming,August2023).His nextbook,TheReligionofWhiteness:An ApocalypticLyric(withYaleUniversityPress)and fromwhichthislecturewasdrawn,isinfinal preparation.