In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston writes about the protagonist Janie Crawford’s relationships with her three husbands and how they reveal her evolving relationship with herself. During an argument with her second husband, Janie realizes that “something fell off the shelf inside of [her].” That wasn’t the end of the relationship, but it was,…
I recently sat at dinner with a group of seminarians talking about whether or not theological education prepares student-ministers for the everyday tasks of ministry. At this particular time, we spoke about how classes in liturgy prepare seminarians to conduct some of the key rituals of our trade: weddings and funerals. Weddings are fun, we…
When I first finished divinity school, I subscribed to a journal of Christian spirituality called Weavings. That was when I first heard of the concept of “active waiting.” Often associated with the liturgical seasons of Lent and Advent, “active waiting” describes the way in which believers wait for a great spiritual event. In the Christian tradition,…
The disciples get a bad rap for not recognizing Jesus. I’ve heard sermons about how we should not be like Thomas – we should not doubt (John 20:24-29). We should not need physical evidence. I’ve heard sermons about how we should not be like those men on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24: 13-35). …
The camera pans to a living room. Dark hues mute an anguished woman’s face as her body blends into the couch. Quiet, sentimental music crescendos. Voiceover: “Are you depressed?” One last shot at the blank, bleak face. Not two seconds later the world is technicolor, the music upbeat. The woman runs in a field,…
“Are you sure sweetheart that you want to be made well?” These are the opening lines of Toni Cade Bambara’s amazing novel The Salt Eaters where black faith healer Minnie Ransom leads a community of friends and clinicians who respond to Velma Henry’s attempted suicide. On the next page, the healer Minnie expounds:…
(posted on facebook last year; many people asked that I re-post to a wider audience) Many of you know me as someone with a progressive theology with a rather “low Christology.” Those are not my words; but in classic systematic terms, it’s been said. I prefer to say that I have a radically incarnational…
“Why I Need The Resurrection … in 100 Words or Less” follow. As one who knows metaphorical and literal death, resurrection matters. To see value in the past after seasons of hopelessness, and to stay in community when reason says to walk away — is mercy. To break bread with people who have hurt you,…
I want to feel God. I don’t need a mystical experience or a burning bush, but I want to feel God. I need to feel God. I was taught not to depend on my feelings for God. I spent my college years as an active member of Campus Crusade for Christ. It was a…
Music is an important part of my life. Whether jamming to an upbeat rock song at the gym or playing a sad song incessantly after a heartbreak, I, like many other people, can imagine creating a soundtrack to my life filled with the music of my generation. Music gives me the words I can’t find,…
Dr. Monica A. Coleman is an award-winning scholar, writer, and minister dedicated to the intersections of faith, social justice, and transformation. Through speaking, consulting, and writing, she empowers individuals and organizations to navigate change with purpose and integrity.
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