Essential Understandings
From Sabbath to the “Nap Bishop”: Liberative Movements to Reclaim Rest
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Claire Wolfteich
This paper explores the ancient Jewish and Christian practice of Sabbath keeping in dialogue with contemporary movements to reclaim rest and renewal as acts of social/political justice. I draw from classic theological texts, especially the writing of Abraham Joshua Heschel, John Paul II, Jürgen Moltmann, and Walter Brueggemann. These theologies of Sabbath are juxtaposed with recent research the author has conducted with local congregations as well as to narratives and practices reflected in popular publications and social media that portray rest as critical resistance and counternarrative to capitalist and racist ideologies (e.g., “the nap bishop”, “rest is resistance”, “somatic abolitionism”). The paper shows complexities of religious practices around Sabbath keeping, including barriers to accessing Sabbath related to gender and race, as well as liberative impulses that may represent fresh manifestations of this ancient spiritual practice.
Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself: Masturbation, Queer Love, and Homoeroticism in the Life of Jesus Christ View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Clint Jones
My essay is an attempt to read the life of Jesus Christ through the lens of Queer theory to demonstrate how such a reading could be used to rebut current societal trends of homophobic beliefs and behaviors especially in Christianity. First, I show how a misreading of the biblical story of Onan, historically and continuing today, creates the conditions for individual and social harm. Examining this misreading creates the opportunity for re-reading the life of Jesus as a potentially queer life in at least three ways: the Roman centurion, his relationship to Judas, and positing Lazarus as the Beloved Disciple. Paralleling these arguments I also show that Jesus's involvement at the Wedding at Cana demarcates the possibility of Jesus as bisexual. However, my focus is not on sex or sexuality, but rather on eroticism as a way to argue for a more dynamic rendering of Jesus and a clear extension of his love to all people regardless of their particular orientation to the world.
Religion in Society : Ethnic, National, and Racial Identities View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Aphiwe Zondi
Religion has been a significant aspect of human life for centuries, and it has played a crucial role in shaping ethnic, national, and racial identities. The relationship between religion and identity is complex and multifaceted, and it has been the subject of much academic inquiry. This study explores the relationship between religion and ethnic, national, and racial identities, with a particular focus on African Spirituality. The paper also discusses Inter-religious harmony and the challenge of double consciousness in African Spirituality
