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A concern about Columbus --
the explorer, not the city! |
An opportunity to remember the whole
story
We recently received this thoughtful
comment about references to Christopher Columbus in relation to the
coming General Assembly, which will gather in the Ohio city that bears
his name.
The writer is responding to an
April report by Presbyterian News Service on communication plans
for the Assembly.
[5-27-02]
I don't know if this is just the Presbyterian News
Service looking for a cute hook or if this is an image we're going to
have to confront from many different sources at GA - but it concerns me
that we may be using the image of Columbus the Explorer without thinking
about how that image impacts some of the people we are trying to include
in our Presbyterian family: Native Americans.
I am always concerned when we who are
European-American and hold power in this culture assume our version of
history is universally accepted and celebrated. Columbus was himself
exploitative and disastrous in his direct dealings with those who
greeted him, and the use of his image as a celebration of the European
invasion was ultimately extraordinarily tragic for millions of human
beings already present in this hemisphere. While Columbus's achievement
was an important turning point in human history, it is time for all of
us to honor the whole store - not just the parts we like.
If we are going to celebrate the joyful images of new
journeys and explorations, then how can we make sure that we also tell
the rest of the story so that our brothers and sisters will know we have
heard them and we honor and share the anger and the grief that also
resulted from these journeys?
Anitra Kitts Rasmussen
Elder, Cascades Presbytery
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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