GHOST RANCH SEMINAR

July 26-August 1, 2010

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE

SOCIAL GOSPEL THEOLOGY
July 26-August 1, 2010

(A Ghost Ranch Seminar)

by Jane Hanna (who put this event together, saith the WebWeaver)
[8-27-10]

Again this summer Presbyterian Voices for Justice and Presbyterian Peace Fellowship joined in co-sponsoring a seminar at Ghost Ranch, “We’re All in this Together: Confronting the Structures of Injustice.” The inspiration for the seminar was a guidebook for social action, To Do Justice: A Guide for Progressive Christians, edited by Rebecca Todd Peters and Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty. Ethicists from across mainline denominations contributed essays connecting their faith to the most urgent public issues of our time. Three of them, notable educators, became our leaders for 2010.

Dr. Grace Kao is an Associate Professor of Ethics at Claremont School of Theology; Dr. Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty an Associate Professor of Theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, and Dr. Gary Dorrien is the Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University. They provided a wealth of information and tools for addressing justice and peace concerns.

The Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy of the PCUSA (ACSWP) has been instrumental in developing an ecumenical Social Creed for the Twenty-first Century in honor of the one-hundredth anniversary of the 1908 Social Creed. This is a document that should be known to every congregation, one these leaders had a part in developing.

Dr. Hinson-Hasty had also co-edited Prayers for The New Social Awakening, Inspired by the New Social Creed, with Christian Iosso, Coordinator of ACSWP. We began our sessions each morning with one of the prayers from this collection written by Christians of many traditions who feel called to speak out and act in hope of realizing God’s vision for a just world.

Viewing the excellent DVD, “Toward a New Social Awakening: The Social Creed,” produced by ACSWP, introduced us to the history of the 1908 Social Creed and background for the 2008 “New Social Creed for the Twenty-First Century.” (This can be viewed on-line at http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/acswp/social-creed)

The social gospel movement grew from the belief that churches have a responsibility to address social issues, and that Christians are obligated to reform society. Elizabeth and Gary challenged us with the history of the Social Gospel and looking at it in light of our own time. The similarities between present economic circumstances and those of the early 20^th century are striking. The social gospel had a big impact on theological education and social ethics studies. Jesus was the example for social justice but churches did not always accept the ideas of the early reformers. Many congregations still largely avoid race, gender and economic critiques.

Grace presented an excellent PowerPoint “Primer on Thinking Ethically about War” followed by Gary’s discussion about War/Militarism/Foreign Policy. Background about the “Just War Theory,” and when war is unjust, presented a multitude of questions and the obstacles toward defining any war as “Just.”

Many provocative issues were raised by statistics concerning the experience of women worldwide. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, by Kristof and WuDunn, had been on our reading list for the seminar. Quoting Kristof’s belief that the well being of women is the moral issue of the 21^st Century, Elizabeth asked “Should Women’s Rights be the Church’s Cause for our Time?” In addition to encountering the many worldwide abuses against women, we were given suggestions for supporting victims of gender abuse. A series of brief films “What Harm is it to be a Woman?” was available for participants to view as was the DVD “Soldiers of Conscience.”

Gary provided an in-depth look at current economic practices fed by a belief in an unrestricted ability to acquire wealth. We are a long way from economic democracy. Today’s capitalism commodifies everything, exploits resources, disrupts societies, and damages the environment, all creating a huge surge in inequality. An unleashed greed describes our current economy and is the source of much of the injustice experienced by growing numbers of our population. Advocating a more democratic economy would directly address many of the social problems we face.

Grace, who was Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Virginia Tech when 32 students were shot and killed, raised provocative questions in discussing a Search for Religious Meaning in those Shootings. Was the early labeling of Cho an Islamic suicide-killer a matter of hasty, sensationalized reporting or part of a deeper problem making him an “other”? Actually, Cho had used Christian symbols to describe, even sanctify his actions. Dr. Kao asked if there are steps we as Christians could take to prevent our traditions from being used for such destructive ends. What role should we play when our nation is engaged in ongoing wars abroad? She raised many disquieting questions about the shootings themselves and the responses to it, asking what can be learned from this tragedy.

There was much to take back to our congregations, both the questions and some resources to address the need for justice in our communities, the nation, and the world.

Jane Hanna

Plans are already in place for our 2010 Ghost Ranch Seminar!

GHOST RANCH SEMINAR

July 26-August 1, 2010

WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER

CONFRONTING THE STRUCTURES OF INJUSTICE

[9-16-09]

In partnership with The Witherspoon Society/Voices of Sophia and The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship.

Jane Hanna, Coordinator

Questions? Email Jane Hanna >>

If it seems there are many critical issues confronting us, it is because there are. How do we respond to the biblical call for justice in a world facing deepening global inequality, environmental challenges, and the escalation of violence in human relationships? We are fortunate to have three eminently qualified people prepared to address these questions. We will use A Social Creed for the 21^st Century to discern a moral, ethical and spiritual response to the many challenges humankind must meet. In presentations and discussions we will search for the prophetic spirit to guide our efforts toward a more just and humane world.

Gary Dorrien, Reinhold Niebuhr Professor of Social Ethics at Union Theological Seminary and Professor of Religion at Columbia University. An Episcopal priest, he was previously the Parfet Distinguished Professor at Kalamazoo College, where he taught for 18 years and also served as Dean of Stetson Chapel. He is the author of 14 books and approximately 225 articles that range across the fields of ethics, social theory, theology, philosophy, politics and history. Prof. Dorrien has a long record of involvement in social justice and anti-war organizations. His most recent books are The Making of American Liberal Theology and Social Ethics in the Making. His next book, due in 2010 is Economy, Difference, and Empire. For more on Dr. Dorrien >>

Grace Yia-Hei Kao is an Associate Professor of Ethics at the Claremont School of Theology, where she teaches and researches issues related to human rights, religion in the public sphere, feminism, environmental ethics, and Asian American Christianity. She was previously Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Women’s Studies at Virginia Tech. Dr. Kao has published chapters and articles on a variety of topics, including ecofeminism, the relationship between religion and violence, and the prospects and challenges for interreligious cooperation and peace. Georgetown University Press will soon publish her first book, Grounding Human Rights in a Pluralist World, in their Advancing Human Rights series. For more information on Dr. Kao >>

Elizabeth Hinson-Hasty is Associate Professor of Theology at Bellarmine University in Louisville, KY where she teaches a broad range of courses including Theology from the Margins for which she was recently awarded a Kentuckiana Metroversity Instructional Development Award. She is also a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Much of her work has bridged the gap between church and academy. Dr. Hinson-Hasty currently serves as an elected member of the Advocacy Committee for Women’s Concerns (ACWC) and was part of the PC(USA) committee that drafted the Social Creed for the 21st Century. She is the author of Beyond the Social Maze: Exploring Vida Dutton Scudder’s Theological Ethics and co-editor of Prayers for the New Social Awakening, with Christian Iosso and To Do Justice: A Guide for Progressive Christians with Rebecca Todd Peters. For more information on Dr. Hinson-Hasty >>