🌱 The Systems of Death and the Subversive Seed

Happy Friday, Friends.

I hope that your week has been positive. That you’ve been loved. That you’ve taken care of your mind and body. That you’ve laughed. And that - if you were able - you’ve found ways to share love with others.

Out good news is that Emily and I have both gotten our second shots this week and for that I am deeply grateful. I hope that if you have had the chance to get yours it went smoothly and if you haven’t had the chance yet it is coming very soon.

Today, I am going to share some excerpts (and links to longer portions) from things I’ve been working on these past couple of weeks that I want to share with you. First is a sermon I preached this past Sunday for First Friends here in Greensboro on John 12:24 about the “Systems of Death and the Subversive Seed,” then I’ll share the YouTube video from the Robert Barclay Institute Symposium with Dr. Derek Brown on the subject of a Quaker Pastoral Theology where I was a respondent this past Thursday, and finally, a short blog post called, “Without The Promise of Change.”

Thanks for reading,

Wess Daniels

Greensboro, NC (Haw River Watershed)

This week, we saw the shooting of 8 individuals, 6 were Asian-Americans reminding us again of the ongoing and increased racism Asian-Americans and other communities of color have faced in the last year. 

Maybe unsurprisingly at this point: it was done by a man who was not only a Christian but was by accounts of his pastor “one of the most committed members.” (A thought that I find chilling).

This stream of what David Dark calls “White Supremacist Terror” (see also David Dark’s “Dumpster Fire”) continued in January when we saw Christian Nationalists violently storm the US Capitol. And of course, this year also saw other terrors from the previous president tear gas peaceful protestors for a photo op holding a bible in front of a church, to the horrific killings of George Floyd, Ahmad Arbery, Brianna Taylor, and others.

➡️ Continue Reading or Watch the Recording Here

With Dr. Derek Brown, C. Wess Daniels, and Scott Wagoner on “What is a Quaker pastoral Theology?” 

Above is the video hosted on YouTube of the symposium. I have it queued to start when I come up (I go right after Derek Brown and before Scott’s response) but if you’re interested in the topic, I encourage you to watch the whole thing which begins here.

(In follow-up I’ve linked to another piece I wrote coming out on the subject soon through Quaker Religious Thought).

➡️ View My Response to Derek Brown on YouTube

Over the past few months, since Apple Fitness+ launched, I’ve been getting more and more into indoor cycling and strength training. I really like the workouts and the trainers and every once in a while I get a little insight from a workout that I want to hang on to.

Today, during the International Women’s Ride with Kym Perfetto (one of my favorite trainers) she said something that helped me out considerably. 

➡️ Continue Reading Without The Promise of Change

Subscribe to Quaker Religious Thought or purchase the issue if you’re interested in not just my writing but a number of really great pieces including a great paper from Newsletter reader and guest writer, Ashley Wilcox.

➡️ Find more information here about how to get a copy of the issue

Dig around. You might find something in here interesting, useful, or entertaining.

Every Sunday night at 6pm EST on Facebook live the Freedom Church of the Poor meets. We learn from activists, theologians, clergy, and artists about their own resistance to the religion of empire.

Whose side is God on? What does God say about empire, especially when Empire uses God to justify so much of what it does? In our day, “religion” has often been

www.woodbrooke.org.uk

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Thank you! -Wess 💚☕️