wfn.org | Joan Martin addresses Voices of Sophia Breakfast

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #6621 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

12-June-2001
GA01063

Joan Martin addresses Voices of Sophia Breakfast 

by Nancy Rodman

LOUISVILLE, June 12 - "It is our choice to go down with death or be
threatened with resurrection so that we might reverse the death-dealing
elements in our church and society" was the message delivered to the Voices
of Sophia breakfast this morning by the Rev. Joan M. Martin, William W.
Rankin associate professor of Christian Social Ethics at the Episcopal
Divinity School, Cambridge, Ma.

	Martin challenged a packed room on issues of racism, gender and class bias,
and power to reclaim biblical authority and reject biblical idolatry.  The
reason we have a living tradition, she said, is that people interpret
scripture to their times as Jesus did when he read scripture in the
synagogue saying, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has
anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim
release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the
oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  He went on to
interpret the scripture, she said, angering the people.  "Who," Martin
asked, "was not angered by Jesus' interpretation?"

	"What Jesus was about," Martin said, "was making his tradition as alive as
possible."  The heart of Jesus' message is unambiguous:  preaching the good
news to the poor, oppressed, proclaiming release to the captives.  We need
to figure out, she continued, what it means to be privileged and what to do
about that.  We are threatened with death by racism, gender and class bias,
and abuse of power, but by God's grace we can choose resurrection over
death.

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