 Staying Alive: Re-Imagining god group gathers at General Assembly By Parker T. Williamson The Layman Online Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Recent General Assembly budget cuts have severely wounded "Voices," an ostensibly independent organization that has leaned heavily on denominational staff, particularly in Presbyterian Women, to carry out its agenda. "Bless the loving god Sophia," Smith said. "Bless Sophia with your wallet." The crowd responded with its "Sophia Blessing," whose debut at the 1993 Re-Imagining god conference traumatized Presbyterians, resulting in huge budget deficits at national headquarters and job losses in key executive positions: Participants raised their arms heavenward as they voiced the name of their goddess, and touched their eyes and heads when chanting "wisdom." Then they rested their hands upon their hearts. Despite the dirge-like flavor to the chant, it is clear that "Voices" has no intention of going away. Energized by the election of a General Assembly moderator whom they say identifies with "the marginalized," Mieke Vandersall urged the group to action. Vandersall, a recent graduate of Union Theological Seminary who was employed by "Voices" and a New York gay and lesbian organization during her seminary years, said: "We need to vote. We need to get out the vote. We need to get out there and make the changes that need to happen in the fall!" Vandersall's political exhortation was consistent with liberationist rhetoric in the morning's keynote speech. Daisy Machado, associate professor of the History of Christianity and Latino Church Studies at Brite Divinity School, called on the audience to practice "Samaritan Theology." Her theme was textbook liberationism: God is on the side of the poor and marginalized; God's followers identify with the poor by organizing them politically to overthrow their oppressor, the capitalistic and consumer driven economy. Machado's message was largely reminiscent of a speech she delivered in October 2002 to a group at Union Theological Seminary: "I bring you greetings from Occupied America," she said to the New York crowd. Machado's focus was on the border communities, colinas, that stretch along the United States' border with Mexico. Describing deplorable housing conditions, low wages, pollution and poverty, Machado laid the blame for this plight on "globalization." She said that "consumerism" is not a natural human trait, but a byproduct of globalization that is impressed upon poor populations by powerful corporations. "The answer to globalization is solidarity," she said. "Human work cannot be 'commodified.'" "Voices" received a special greeting from Moderator Rick Ufford-Chase and Vice Moderator Jean Marie Peacock. In presenting Peacock to the group. Ufford-Chase recalled work that they had shared among refugees on the Southwest border. The vice moderator got a round of applause for her opening line, "God is good, isn't she!" Peacock told "Voices" that she had been deeply involved in the Sanctuary Movement, an attempt to transport illegal aliens into communities in the United States. Picking up on Machado's Samaritan theology theme, she compared the Sanctuary Movement's efforts with that of the Samaritan who transported a wounded Jew to a place of refuge. |
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