waiting

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, … More…

breaking bread

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). … More…

to connect and to create

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, … More…

The Right Question

“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: … More…

why resurrection matters

(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 … More…

(Not) Feeling God

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 … More…

I Need Spirituals

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, … More…

Words Matter

“Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt me.” This is one of the biggest playground lies. The truth is that words matter. Names matter. It matters what we call ourselves. What other people call us, matters. And words stick with us for longer than the time it takes to … More…

To Praise and to Rage

Living with a depressive condition has put me on a constant search for the right words. I look for the right words to explain how this feels – from the inside out. I experiment with metaphors, placing them in my mouth, rolling them around my tongue in different sentences, to see if they taste … More…

Book Monica A. Coleman to speak at your event.

Monica speaks with heart and vulnerability as she discusses some of the most challenging issues of our day. She speaks out on issues that churches and society often keep silent: mental health, sexual and domestic violence and religious diversity. In the pulpit, she offers a refreshing view of how scripture leads us to community and social action. In academic lectures, she blends her knowledge of religion, cultural studies and literature with social issues to offer new visions of faith. In every setting, she shows audiences how our faith can free us to be more and more of who and how God calls us to be.