Juneteenth, War and the Gerasene Demoniac – plus Details on the HARP Zoom series
In the face of intensifying war abroad and oppression at home, let us fiercely embrace the ongoing struggle for peace and justice! Take time to celebrate Juneteenth, today’s commemoration of freedom, which resonates so powerfully with Sunday’s Lukan gospel text (Lk 8:26-39).
The Gerasene demoniac’s captivity/oppression under “Legion” articulates the liberative consciousness of a Galilean Jewish community under Roman imperialism. Jesus liberates this person—who is locked down within and without—to a restored humanity and “right mind” (Lk 8:35). The pigs drowning in the sea (8:33) is another Lukan “political cartoon,” alluding to the Roman Tenth Legion, and to the old story of Pharaoh’s army in Exodus 14. To learn more about this gospel episode, check out my comments here. Or, because Luke follows Mark’s version closely, go back and look at Binding the Strong Man: A Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus, pp. 190–194.
HARP Zoom Forum Details
As we have now turned toward Ordinary Time, with its unbroken string of Sunday Lukan gospel readings in the RCL, it’s a good time for a summer and/or fall study group or preaching series! To help resource such, I will convene a twice-monthly zoom forum, beginning on Wed July 2, from 4:30-6 pm PDT.
Please see the link below to register (google form) —but first, review the following details:
Timing: There will be eight 90 min. sessions, Wednesdays from 4:30-6 pm PDT (if we have two cohorts, the other slot will be at 2:30-4 pm PDT). So check your calendars: 7/2; 7/23; 8/6; 8/20; 9/3; 9/17; 10/1; and 10/15. (You are also invited to a bonus session on 10/30 w/ Sabeel).
Cost: $100, regardless of how many session you attend. (If you need a scholarship, contact Chris.) Space is limited and will prioritize those of you who have already indicated interest.
Content: We’ll cover RCL gospel readings for the 4th through the 20th Sundays (Propers 9-26) in Ordinary Time, but following the adjustments and substitutions I suggest in the “Alternative Schedule” noted in HARP’s Appendix I:ii (pp 227-28). Each session will focus on the upcoming 2 or 3 Sunday texts. For the first half hour Ched will set context, then an hour of Q&A (priority to questions sent in beforehand) and participants’ workshopping of texts.
Participant Commitments:
Come to whichever sessions you can, but they will not be recorded, as they are primarily discussion. Please remain on camera and be engaged in conversation; this series is for workshopping together, not spectating!
Engage with HARP between sessions, and have with you a copy on the call.
By the second session you’ll have identified one text you’ll work with publicly in some way (preach, teach, blog, art, theater, etc), to focus our workshopping.
OK, now click here to register and fill out the application. Deadline to be registered and paid is June 30th!
Note: Because of limited spaces available you will only be registered once you have paid. Payment methods will be sent to you following acceptance of your application.
I sat down with podcaster and friend Bert Newton of Pasadena Mennonite Church for a wide-ranging talk about HARP. For the audio link (1.5 hours of good conversation) go here. Finally, remember, the HARP 20% off discount code SOJO20 at my page on Bookshop.org expires at the end of July!
-Ched