Three Bright Stars | New Song by John Kelly Honoring UVa Slain UVa Students
Local singer-songwriter, John Kelly, was inspired by the candlelit memorial on the Lawn to commemorate the three slain UVa football players, Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry. After attending and being moved by the images of 3 stars in a photo of the event, he created this song. Read more about the song’s creation below.
Introduction to the Essential PhotoVoice Project
For six weeks, five participants and I met for several hours and shared photographs that we took in response to prompts about our communities: their problems, their strengths, and how we fit into them. The prompts were:
Share a picture/or pictures to help people understand something meaningful about you.
Share a picture/or pictures that would help people understand something about your community - however you define that.
As you think about your community (the people and place where this project is unfolding), where/how is your community flourishing?
What are your community's deepest challenges?
What has been done or could be done to address your community’s challenges?
What is your next step or the next thing you want to do to address your community's challenges?
We were facilitated by John Sarrouf, Co-Executive Director of Essential Partners. While we have been using Essential Partners’ Reflective Structured Dialogue practice for the past two years for the Deeper Dialogues project at Theological Horizons, this was a completely new and experimental structure that we learned how to facilitate as we participated. Whereas the traditional RSD model has questions followed by individual reflection and responses in a “go-round” format, Essential Photovoice has each participant speak about their photos and how they related to the week’s prompt for 4 minutes, the rest of the group ask questions for 2 minutes, then the participant speak for another 4 minutes about whatever was coming up for them, related to the questions or not.
Four of the six participants graduated from UVA earlier this year and have been forging their new circles in vastly different contexts. Whether traveling alone in the American Southwest, transitioning into new work in a new town, or living with their family before getting married, they considered questions like: what exactly constitutes a community? What are the different levels or sizes of community that we are a part of? How does one transition from the intentional, temporary community of the University into the sometimes haphazard, perhaps more permanent community of post-college life? We felt that the confusion and turmoil could be shared by many college graduates.
Welcome Back! Ways to be & belong this semester.
We’re excited to welcome you all back to a new semester whether in Charlottesville or elsewhere across the globe. Our theme of being & belonging continues with an array of guest speakers to challenge our thinking around what it means to be healthy and whole with one another. Scan our offerings below to see what resources you might add to your toolkit.
VINTAGE LUNCH
Dr. Jessica Young Brown on Mental Health on the College Campus. 2/3
Jonathan Wood, Personal Finance for the Real World post-Vintage workshop. 2/24
Jerry Maynard, OneWay Ministries, on Lament & Good Friday. 4/7
Eddie Howard, ED of Abundant Life Ministries, on the Soul of Restorative Justice. 4/14
Spiritual Direction on Grounds with Kayla Allen and Laura Merricks. 4/21
Scoper Lecture
Bryan Stevenson on the heart of equal justice. 3/28
Faith & Work Lunch
Rich Dean on faith, law & vocation. 4/13
Deeper Dialogues
Coming together around the work of justice. April TBD
Saints of the City
Ongoing offerings of spiritual practices inspired by ancient saints.
HORIZONS FELLOWS
Dr. Angel Parham (UVa professor of sociology) on Loving our Neighbor through Place. 2/1
Adam Coleman, MSW, One America Movement, on Loving our Neighbor Amidst Deep Difference. 3/1
PERKINS FELLOWS
Perkins Fellows will be reading & discussing Just Mercy as well as planning days of service alongside their respective community partners.
Bryan Stevenson | Scoper Lecturer 2023
Please join Theological Horizons to welcome Bryan Stevenson for a conversation in the John Paul Jones ArenA.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023, at 7:00 PM
The Scoper Lecture in Christian Thought is an annual series building off the Capps Lectures that brings eminent speakers to the university to deliver public lectures exploring the breadth of Christian expression in the arenas of scholarship, science and medicine, the arts, and culture. The series is generously funded by Nancy and Stephen Scoper, M.D., through their gift to the University of Virginia, designated to Theological Horizons.
ABOUT BRYAN STEVENSON
Named “the most inspiring and influential crusader for justice alive today,” Bryan Stevenson is a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned.
Mr. Stevenson is the founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative of Montgomery, Alabama. Under his leadership, EJI has won major legal challenges eliminating excessive and unfair sentencing, exonerating innocent death row prisoners, confronting abuse of the incarcerated and the mentally ill, and aiding children prosecuted as adults.
Mr. Stevenson, featured in the Emmy-winning HBO documentary, True Justice, has received over 40 honorary doctoral degrees. He is the author of the award-winning New York Times bestseller, Just Mercy, now adapted as a major motion picture. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School and Harvard School of Government.
This remarkable event will feature Bryan Stevenson, Founder and Executive Director of the Equal Justice Initiative and author of the acclaimed book Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption. He will speak on the spiritual sources that empower his lifelong commitment to transformative acts of justice and mercy. An on-stage conversation with UVA President Jim Ryan will follow the lecture.
General Admission tickets are on sale for $8/person. A discounted rate of $6/person is available for Community Partners and/or any groups of 20 or more. A limited block of FREE student tickets will be released on January 16. This special event will be live-only and will not be recorded.
For regular updates, news and custom resources (including FREE book discussion guides, and more!) bookmark theologicalhorizons.org/stevenson and visit often.
Questions? Email erin@theologicalhorizons.org.
This event is co-hosted with UVA Arts and the Central Virginia Community Justice Program.
PARTNER WITH US!
A financial gift from you or your company and/or organization directly supports this special event to transform individuals and communities through Stevenson’s powerful testimony and teaching to advance the work of equal justice.
January Prayers | Let the work of Christmas Begin
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me….to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
DEAR FRIENDS,
As we awake into this new year, may we pause. May we pause to remember that we are beloved and our greatest calling is to indwell that love daily. We look forward to doing the work of Christmas together this year.
When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
CHRISTMAS EVE | SAVOR THE STORY
Image: Harmonia Rosales, Our Lady of Regla, 2019.40 x 40 in.
At long last the silent, starlit night has come --- when the Great Little One is born. We invite you to settle in for a few quiet moments and enter into the story once again, through word, song and poetry. What new wonder waits for you here?
And there were shepherds in that same dark country, abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.
And God turned to his angel. And God said, Gabriel.
And the angel answered, Yes, Lord?
And the Lord God said, Go down. All of the people must know what I am doing. Tired and lonely and scattered and scared, all of the people must hear it. Go, good Gabriel. Go down again. Go tell a few to tell the others, till every child has heard it. Go!
And so it was that an angel of the Lord appeared to the weary shepherds. Their dark was shattered, for the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.
The angel said to them, Don’t be afraid.
But the light was like a hard and holy wind, and the shepherds shielded their faces with their arms.
Hush, said the angel, hush, like the west wind. Shepherds, I bring you good news of great joy, and not only for you but for all of the people. Listen.
So shepherds were squinting and blinking, and shepherds began to listen, but none of them had the courage to talk or to answer a thing.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David, said the angel, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.
Suddenly, the sky itself split open, and like the fall of a thousand stars, the light poured down. There came with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly host, praising God and saying,
Glory to God in the highest,
And on Earth, peace—
Peace to the people with whom he is pleased!
But hush, you shepherds. Hush in your wonder. For the choral singing soon was ended. The host ascended, and the sky was closed again.
And then there came a breeze and a marvelous quiet and the simple dark of the night. It was just that, no terror in that then. It was only the night, no deeper gloom than evening.
For not all of the light had gone back to Heaven. The Light of the World himself stayed down on Earth and near you now.
And you can talk now. Try your voices. Try to speak. Ah, God has given you generous voices, shepherds. Speak.
So then, this is what the shepherds said to one another:
Let us, they said, go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.
So the shepherds got up and ran as fast as they could to the city of Bethlehem, to a particular stable in that city, and in that stable they gazed on one particular stable in that city, and in that stable they gazed on one particular baby, lying in a manger.
Then, in that moment, everything was fixed in a lambent, memorial light.
For there was the infant, just waking, just lifting his arms to the air and making sucking motions with his mouth. The holy child was hungry.
And there was his mother, lying on straw as lovely as the lily and listening to the noises of her child. Joseph? she murmured.
And there was Joseph, as sturdy as a barn, just bending toward his Mary. What? he whispered.
And the shepherds’ eyes were shining for what they saw.
Exactly as though it were morning and not the night, the shepherds went out into the city and began immediately to tell everyone what the angel had said about this child. They left a trail of startled people behind them, as on they went, both glorifying and praising God.
But Mary did not so much as rise that night. She received the baby from Joseph’s hands, then placed him down at her breast while she lay on her side on straw. With one arm she cradled the infant against her body. On the other arm, bent at the elbow, she rested her head; and she gazed at her small son sucking.
Mary lowered her long, black lashes and watched him and loved him and murmured, Jesus, Jesus, for the baby’s name was Jesus.
Joseph? she said without glancing up.
And Joseph said, What?
But Mary fell silent and said no more. She was keeping all these things – all that had happened between the darkness and the light – and pondering them in her heart.
— “The Christmas Story” by Walter Wangerin
“Mary At The Nativity” by Tania Runyan
The angel said there would be no end
to his kingdom. So for three hundred days
I carried rivers and cedars and mountains.
Stars spilled in my belly when he turned.
Now I can’t stop touching his hands,
the pink pebbles of his knuckles,
the soft wrinkle of flesh
between his forefinger and thumb.
I rub his fingernails as we drift
in and out of sleep. They are small and smooth,
like almond petals.
Forever, I will need nothing but these.
But all night, the visitors crowd
around us. I press his palms to my lips
in silence. They look down in anticipation,
as if they expect him to spill coins from his hands
or raise a gold scepter
and turn swine into angels.
Isn’t this wonder enough
that yesterday he was inside me,
and now he nuzzles next to my heart?
That he wraps his hand around
my finger and holds on?
A JOYOUS CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!
From all of us at Theological Horizons
Advent 4 | DEFIANT HOPE
Our time of waiting is nearly done; soon we will tell, again, the Story: the Creator pulls on a garment of blood and bone; the Almighty is present in a fragile newborn. The Deliverer of humankind is delivered in a stable smelling of dung. If God has come here, amidst the shame and straw, God has come everywhere.
God entered the earthiness of human existence for the sake of every human soul - and so there are no insignificant or pointless lives; any average day carries eternal significance. Our hopes for meaning and purpose - for lives of courage and generosity - can take shape wherever we find ourselves, however unsettled or desolate.
This is the defiant hope of Christmas: God is for us. God is in us. God is with us. Can we live into this hope?
As you prepare for Christmas, during quiet moments stolen here or there, reflect upon three questions:
God came amidst shame and straw, a place unprepared for the Divine; how is my life or heart like that Bethlehem stable?
Jesus’ arrival overturned the world’s expectations of power and perspective; what expectations are clouding my own vision right now?
What if I truly believed the defiant hope: that God is with me, for me and in me; how might I live and see differently?
Read “The defiant hope of Christmas: God is with us” by Michael Gerson
Read “What Advent Means to Me as a Black Christian” by Taylor Harris
*Reflection adapted from Michael Gerson’s essay.
"Dear White Peacemakers" | Grace Jackson '24
“White Peacemaker, my prayer is you’ll do this nonviolent work within yourself, first by calling yourself a Beloved and then by acknowledging your fragility.” (170)
This semester as Perkins Fellows, we have been reading a book called Dear White Peacemakers by Osheta Moore, from which the above quote is drawn. Osheta’s book has been revolutionary for me in the way I view social justice and my faith. Osheta calls White Peacemakers to acknowledge both our Belovedness and our Brokenness as central to seeking social justice.
My experience of social justice prior to the Perkins Fellows was generally from a secular perspective and very works- oriented. I spent a lot of energy in high school striving to educate myself on the history of racial injustice in America and develop programming to share this information with others. I know the Lord used that time in my life to grow in me a vocation and a passion for racial justice work, but I did not often pursue this work from a gospel-centered perspective. I was often filled with shame about committing microaggressions, unintentionally contributing to systems of inequality, and even just being white. I was constantly filled with anger at the White American church for their apathy (at best) in addressing systemic racism and confessing their (our) history of racism. While the Lord does at times condone anger (James 1:19), he never encourages the kind of deep judgment I held for my fellow brothers and sisters in my efforts to distance myself from white apathy, redolent of the analogy of the plank and the speck we see in Matthew 7:3-5.
Osheta’s gospel-oriented way of viewing social justice is new for me. I am still very much working through my sins of saviorism, pride, and judgment of my white brothers and sisters. I am learning and growing to view even the most heinous white supremecists as both Beloved and Broken, as I unpack and confess my own sins which Jesus equally died for.
Osheta also gives us an example of what it looks like to confess racial sins. The idea of confessing racial sins is new to me and also very uncommon within both the church and our American culture. In a society which loves to cancel and cut away toxicity, what a witness it would be for the church to embrace an approach to social justice that is both radically just and radically merciful! In the words of Osheta: let’s “dismantle racism with both grit and grace.”
photo: Grace (right) with Perkins Fellows Ashley Prillerman (center) and Megnot Abebe (left).
Faithfulness amidst Division | Brandon Bonner '23
How can we Christians fulfill our calling to share God’s love in such a divided political and moral landscape? Polarization has been a glaring issue for the United States for quite some time. Recent events and their associated controversies, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement, and the January 6th insurrection, have only proven the deep issues that we face as a nation
These issues are intensified by the design of social media and news media to keep users and viewers engaged with their content. The time one spends engaging in media directly relates to advertising revenue. So the truth is not prioritized because it’s not profitable. Companies have also found that fear is the emotion that will most likely keep us engaged. Social media and traditional media can’t take much of the blame though. The media has served as a reflection of social prejudice, amplifying them based on the user’s desires.
Why does this even matter? People will have their opinions, right?
It matters because truth precedes justice. Before a verdict is reached in court, the facts and evidence must be presented objectively. When we as Christians fail to observe pure, unadulterated reality, then we are overlooking the vulnerable. God cares deeply about justice. In the Old Testament, the prophets weren’t simply theologians, rather they served as God’s messengers, convicting kings and calling for the just treatment of orphans, widows, and the poor. In the same way, we are called to “thirst for justice” and be a “pillar of truth” in this world.
While this problem can’t be solved in a blog post and I’m still learning about my own weaknesses regarding this, there are two lessons I’ve picked up over the years that have been helpful to me that I’ll share.
1. Avoid foolish arguments
Paul wrote the following when advising Timothy on leadership:
“Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful” (2 Timothy 2:23-24).
From this we can see that, frankly, there are just some arguments that we don’t need to engage in. Growing in discernment will help us maintain our focus on the issues that matter. In this scripture, Paul is also calling us to have a general graciousness towards others in all of our conversations.
2. Use multiple, reliable sources
Secondly, we should gather our news from multiple, reliable sources. This allows us to get a fuller picture of specific events and their larger context while filtering out the narratives of particular biased sources.
My hope is for Christians to fulfill our calling and be resistant to any narrative that aims to divide us in our pursuit of truth and justice. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will be unhindered in his work of unifying the body of believers, that the name of Christ may be exalted.
Advent 3 | PREPARE
Harmonia Rosa, Lady of Regla
Christmas is nearly here. Are you ready? Two weeks before Jesus’ birth, Joseph and Mary made final preparations for the grueling winter journey ahead: 90 miles over unpaved, hilly trails on foot, from Nazareth to Bethlehem. They gathered their heavy woolen cloaks against the rainy, freezing weather, filled wineskins with water, packed as much bread and oil as they could carry. They prayed for God’s protection through the Judean desert, against the bandits, lions and bears they might face in the forested Jordan River valley. Surely they prayed that the baby would wait to be born, that Mary would survive the trial.
“Let every heart prepare him room.”
These days, as you go about your Christmas preparations – scrambling to make deadlines, standing in line at the post office, taking exams, making beds for houseguests, wrapping gifts – take your mind to a place of imagination.
Picture Mary and Joseph as they gathered provisions and set out (without a midwife or hotel reservation), not knowing what was to come. What prayers come up within you?
Open your eyes to neighbors who need your help right now. How might you provide for a vulnerable stranger in your own preparations for Jesus’ birth?
As you go about your tasks and to-dos, add in music, a podcast, intentional prayer to prepare your heart as well as your household. Here are a few of our favorites:
For all the generations
that have prepared the way;
for all the unseen hands
that have made ready
every space;
for those who light
the fires of welcome
and who tend
to every resting place,
O God of every pilgrim,
we bless you with our thanks.(Jan Richardson)
God’s Plan is great, but what about my dream plan? Kamryn Crowder, '23
As we dove deeper into the reading by Kate Bowler, Everything Happens for A Reason, and Other Lies I Have Loved on Oct. 5th at our Horizons Fellow dinner, I was surprised just how much I had subscribed to the idea that life with God meant that God would always follow my plan for my life and that my life would never fall off the tracks I had paved for myself. For most of my childhood, I had dreamed of the perfect life, which of course included the perfect job, perfect family, and perfect home. I always assumed that if I worked hard enough to achieve these things, God would bless the plans that I had laid out for Him. As Kate further described in her reading, cancer kind of threw a wrench in the faith that she procured in God and she hadn’t realized how much she had subscribed to some of the ideals in the prosperity gospel until she got cancer. As we further discussed this talk at our dinner, I thought about how much my own perspective of my life had been shaped by those ideals that God only wanted me to experience abundance and never suffer. As a child, I assumed there was no way that a perfect God would deny me such a perfect life, right? As a young adult now, I can definitively tell my younger self that I had it all wrong. The passing of my grandmother was nowhere near a part of the perfect life I had planned; neither was moving 18 hours away from everything I had ever known and grown up with to come to UVA. As my life has panned out, most everything that I have planned out has not gone according to that plan.
As we began to wrap up this conversation, we landed so ironically on the question of whether everything truly happened for a reason. At the time of the discussion and even after reading Kate’s testimonial, I was still sure that it did. However, as I have had more to reflect on this on my own, I’m not so sure of that definitive answer. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe God has a plan for everything and for all of our lives, but I do not believe that those plans include any harm, danger, or evil. As Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm.” However, evil, bad, and harm do happen to people all the time. I am not sure how to answer that question and am at a crossroads about how to answer that question in my own life now. I am still not quite sure if the pain I and many others have experienced has a purpose or if everything happens for a reason yet, and maybe I will never get those questions answered on this side of heaven. However, I do know that God’s plan for me and all of us is to live a life full of purpose and not just comfort. So maybe a purposeful life will not end perfectly but I know that a purposeful life is better than a perfect one. A life of purpose entails having faith in a perfect God, and I’m learning that that is more than enough to sustain me.
Grounded Living | Reflection by Nick Cummings '23
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Mt. 6:34
I am ashamed to admit I am not a big fan of hikes. I’ve tried many different hikes and while they haven’t been particularly unenjoyable, it’s just not my ideal use of free time. I want to like hiking. Good exercise in the beauty of creation? Right on. Personally? I just don’t have the passion for it. I will say it’s probably more so an error on my part than a flaw with the activity of hiking. The outdoors is great and I love exercise. The problem with hikes for me is that I spend the duration of the hike staring at the ground. I’m constantly reminded to “look up!” but I can’t bring myself to do it or else I might trip and fall. There are roots coming up out of the ground and some rocks aren’t as stable as they seem, so it's important to stay vigilant for the sake of my ankles. So after giving hiking an honest shot, I don’t think it’s for me. A man can only look at so much dirt and so many rocks before the appeal wears off.
The point of sharing this has less to do with informing you all about my activity preferences and more so with how it relates to what I’ve been learning about life lately. In all things except hiking I am not a ground-looker. I am a dreamer of sorts. While in the abstract it sounds awfully nice and admirable to be a dreamer, in reality, it causes me a lot of trouble. Namely, that it’s damn near impossible to keep your feet on the ground when your head is in the clouds (and if I’ve learned anything from hiking, keeping your feet on the ground is a trait one should seek to have). I often catch myself looking out into space and just imagining all the things I might do one day. I could start a business, be a professor, run for mayor, go off the grid and build a cabin in the woods, elope and move to Italy, drop out and train to join the Harlem Globetrotters … the possibilities are endless.
Having spent my whole life seeking to widen my possibilities, I’ve reached the point now where I almost wish the possibilities were more limited. I have begun to suffer from chronic choice paralysis. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great fun (and I believe, to an extent, well and good) to dream and I won’t stop myself from drifting off from time to time, but I’m appreciative of the moments when I am pulled back down to earth. It is in those moments where I can live in what is instead of what could be. Before I go on worrying about what I’ll be doing when I’m 45 or whether or not my kids will want to play the same sports I want them to play (this is, in fact, something I have thought about at length numerous times in the past few months), I need to pass my finals this semester. I am working on taking the advice of Kris Kringle from the 1970 Christmas movie, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (‘tis the season), “put one foot in front of the other.” I think there is something deep and good behind why God made it so we don’t just teleport. Our bodies, souls, and minds were all made to move one step at a time. I imagine life is meant to be lived that way because it’s the only way we can live. One foot in front of the other, step by step, day by day.
Advent 2 | ANNUNCIATION
On this second Sunday of Advent, spend some time in a comfortable, light-drenched space: sit
at a bright kitchen window, on a church pew under stained glass; walk through an atrium or
museum gallery; savor the sun as it warms an early December day.
Read the story of the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, recounted in Luke 1:26-38.
Now picture it as described in Denise Levertov’s poem, “Annunciation.”
We know the scene: the room, variously furnished,
almost always a lectern, a book; always
the tall lily.Arrived on solemn grandeur of great wings,
the angelic ambassador, standing or hovering,
whom she acknowledges, a guest.
But we are told of meek obedience. No one mentions
courage.The engendering Spirit
did not enter her without consent.
God waited.She was free
to accept or to refuse, choice
integral to humanness.____________________________
Aren’t there annunciations
of one sort or another
in most lives?
Some unwillingly
undertake great destinies,
enact them in sullen pride,
uncomprehending.
More often
those moments
when roads of light and storm
open from darkness in a man or woman,
are turned away from
in dread, in a wave of weakness, in despair
and with relief.
Ordinary lives continue.
God does not smite them.
But the gates close, the pathway vanishes.______________________________
She had been a child who played, ate, slept
like any other child – but unlike others,
wept only for pity, laughed
in joy not triumph.
Compassion and intelligence
fused in her, indivisible.Called to a destiny more momentous
than any in all of Time,
she did not quail,
only asked
a simple, ‘How can this be?’
and gravely, courteously,
took to heart the angel’s reply,
perceiving instantly
the astounding ministry she was offered:to bear in her womb
Infinite weight and lightness; to carry
in hidden, finite inwardness,
nine months of Eternity; to contain
in slender vase of being,
the sum of power –
in narrow flesh,
the sum of light.
Then bring to birth,
push out into air, a Man-child
needing, like any other,
milk and love –but who was God.
This was the moment no one speaks of,
when she could still refuse.A breath unbreathed,
Spirit,
suspended,
waiting.______________________________
She did not cry, ‘I cannot. I am not worthy,’
Nor, ‘I have not the strength.’
She did not submit with gritted teeth,
raging, coerced.
Bravest of all humans,
consent illumined her.
The room filled with its light,
the lily glowed in it,
and the iridescent wings.
Consent,
courage unparalleled,
opened her utterly.
Spend time imagining Mary and the angel in that room at “the moment no one speaks of, when she could still refuse. A breath unbreathed, Spirit, suspended, waiting.”
What do you think Mary might have thought and felt as she considered Gabriel’s startling words?
Consider the poet’s question “Aren’t there annunciations of one sort or another in most lives?”
If the angel Gabriel were to arrive and make an announcement to you right now, what might it
be?What could God be inviting you into this Advent?
What consent or courage might be needed should you freely say ‘yes’ to this God who waits upon your response?
Enter the Annunciation story even more deeply through art:
Top image: “Annunciation” (2001) by Swedish artist Mats Rehnman.
Advent 1 | WONDER
“…And star differs from star in splendor.”
1 Corinthians 15:41**
Advent has come again. In this darkest time of the year, the flame of the first Advent candle speaks of mystery, of longing, of something wonderous on the horizons just beyond sight.
As you begin this season of waiting, we invite you to look for a clear night when stars are visible in the sky. Bundle up and wander out into the dark, leaving lights and devices behind. Savor the silence. Gaze upward and consider the gleaming stars overhead. Walk. Sit. Wait.
Ponder these questions:
What do I hope that the practices and prayers of Advent will form in me?
When I wake on Christmas, how will I be different because of this season?
** With love we remember UVA’s #1 Lavel Davis Sr., #15 Devin Chandler and #41 D'Sean Perry
Sure on this shining night
Of star made shadows round,
Kindness must watch for me
This side the ground.
The late year lies down the north.
All is healed, all is health.
High summer holds the earth.
Hearts all whole.
Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand’ring
Far
Alone
Of shadows on the stars.-James Agee
Thanksgiving 2022 | Listening, Learning & Leaning In
Creator,
Sometimes we don’t know what to pray,
or how to talk to you about fixing what’s broken…Sometimes we want to say…
“Why do so many bad things happen to the vulnerable?”
This week we are reminded that gratitude changes things,And so we try to shift our focus a little,
remembering that though things aren’t as they should be,
we’re waiting and listening for what is good.So we give thanks for what we can—
For a world of seasons that teach us about life and death;
For children who remind us to let go of our pretenses;
For diversity that is a mirror of your kingdom.And we simply ask that we know you better,
that we know our neighbor better,
and that when we don’t know exactly how to fight for justice or rescue the oppressed,
we can at least mouth to you that we’re trying,
and that we trust you to show us the way.For that, we are deeply, deeply thankful.
Amen.
-Kaitlin Curtis, member of the Potawatomi Citizen Band (Prayer abbreviated. Read in entirety here.)
As we enter the Thanksgiving holidays, we carry heavy hearts with the recent UVa tragedy. Many of us also bring additional traumas of pain and loss. Our Native sisters and brothers know grief intimately. We invite you to take some time to listen and learn from them over this holiday season.
The Christian Community Development Association and the Reformed Church of America both have wonderful Thanksgiving ‘toolkits’. We’ve pulled from these below as well as added some of our own. May these resources add real depth and kingdom hope to your Thanksgiving celebrations this year.
LISTENING & LEARNING
LEANING IN
In addition to prayer, here are some suggestions from the Reformed Church of America:
This article from PBS isn’t a Christian resource, but it does offer a number of resources for how to honor Indigenous American and Aboriginal people with your kids.
Consider participating in the Blanket Exercise—“a history experience from the perspective of Indigenous People”— that was created by the Christian Reformed Church in North America. There are trained facilitators across the U.S. and Canada.
Offer a land acknowledgement in addition to your prayers of gratitude. This article offers more details surrounding land acknowledgements. You can also discover what Native American communities reside in your area using this digital Native lands resource.
Explore this series of poems and art produced by Bizzy Feekes and Mae Stier or this Indigenous Bible Study by Bizzy Feekes.
Read with your faith community or book club using this book club resource, which includes videos, discussion questions and more. This is a practical and easy next step to start a robust conversation.
Watch the “Original Americans” episode of Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (season 1, episode 7), on Hulu, to learn more about Indigenous American food and decolonizing Thanksgiving.
Consider incorporating Native American recipes into your Thanksgiving meal. One good resource is The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen by Sean Sherman. Or click here for 5 recipes from various Indigenous chefs.
Some final inspiration for your Thanksgiving dinner.
Resources for Lament
Our last Deeper Dialogues fittingly covered the theme of lament: Rituals of Hope in Seasons of Loss. Watch the brief spark talk by Rabbi Vanessa Ochs, either on your own or with a small group. Discussion guide and a liturgy for lament available below as well.
Thank you Vintage Lunch Sponsor, Christ Episcopal Church!
This fall, we’re asking our community to consider sponsoring a Vintage Lunch. Each lunch is catered by a local Charlottesville eatery and helps feed 30-40 students who come hungry for food and community and spiritual nourishment.
Thank you, Christ Episcopal Church, for being a Vintage Lunch sponsor! (pictured are Jen Sapunarich & David Zahl, campus ministers based out of CEC).
1. Why did you choose to sponsor a Vintage lunch? How are you connected with Theological Horizons?
"Food and faith have always made a great combination. From wedding feasts to heavenly banquets to weekly Eucharists, we at Christ Episcopal Church see how our spiritual nature can be fed by the feeding of our earthly bodies.
We want to support and encourage the Vintage Lunch series by providing a meal for UVA students seeking nourishment! Christian writer Henri Nouwen says this “Having a meal is more than eating and drinking. It is celebrating the gifts of life we share. A meal together is one of the most intimate and sacred human events. Around the table we become vulnerable, filling one another’s plates and cups and encouraging one another to eat and drink. Much more happens at a meal than satisfying hunger and quenching thirst. Around the table we become family, friends, community, yes, a body.”
We hope that our small contribution to the work of Theological Horizons will help them in their continued work to feed the body of Christ at UVA."
Watch the Faith, Work & Law conversation with Frank S. Alexander!
We were so honored to host Frank S. Alexander, emeritus professor of Law and founding director of the Center for the Study of Law and Religion at Emory University for our last Faith & Work forum. He is also the founder and Executive Director of Vulnerable Communities whose mission is listening to, learning from, working with, and serving vulnerable communities. Its focus is on communities with historical racial, economic, and ethnic vulnerability and simultaneously with vulnerability to multiple climate change effects, including inland flooding, sea level rise, and storm surge. He was interviewed by Horizons Fellow, Nick Cummings ‘23.
Karen Marsh's new book, Wake Up To Wonder: now on preorder!
We could not be more **delighted** to announce Karen Wright Marsh’s new book with Brazos Press, now available for preorder! Karen reflects, “Writing this ‘how to’ book has transformed me in wonderful ways (though I'm still working on following my own advice to take a nap!). With the poet, I say, ‘A miracle, just take a look around: the world is everywhere.’ (Wislawa Szymorska)” All of us at Theological Horizons invite you to get in line for your own copy and then share this book far and wide! On Amazon and elsewhere…
About “Wake Up To Wonder”:
In her quest to live a vibrant spiritual life, Karen Wright Marsh had a revelation: she didn't need to find and follow the perfect plan; she needed people she could follow.
In Wake Up to Wonder, Marsh introduces us to those people--faithful yet oh-so-human Christians from across centuries and cultures. Inspired by their example, she offers playful, simple practices that bring deeper meaning and purpose to everyday life.
In the company of diverse spiritual companions--from Dorothy Day, Francis of Assisi, and Fannie Lou Hamer to Patrick of Ireland, Wangari Maathai, and Henri Nouwen--readers journey through physical health, prayer, activism, Scripture reading, creativity, and beyond. Each chapter includes hands-on invitations such as writing prompts, space for personal reflection, and "Try This," a collage of spiritual and personal experiments anyone can do. As readers wake up to wonder, they'll discover what these 22 historical figures already knew: that a life of spiritual depth, amazement, and connection is within reach--today and every day.
Announcing our 2023 Scoper Lecturer | Bryan Stevenson
OUR 2023 SCOPER LECTURE
“Act Justly, Love Mercy: Exploring the Heart of Equal Justice”
featuring Bryan Stevenson
in conversation with UVA President Jim Ryan
7:00pm | March 28, 2023
John Paul Jones Arena, Charlottesville, Virginia
Save the date! Meet renowned attorney Bryan Stevenson, named “the most inspiring and influential crusader for justice alive today.” Stevenson will speak from his personal experience on the spiritual sources that empower his lifelong commitment to transformative acts of just mercy.
Following his Scoper Lecture in Christian Thought, Bryan Stevenson will be joined by President Jim Ryan for an onstage conversation.
This will be a “live only” in-person and digitally streamed event.
Follow along here for updates about tickets, co-sponsors and local grassroots partners!
The Scoper Lecture in Christian Thought is an annual series building off the Capps Lectures that brings eminent speakers to the university to deliver public lectures exploring the breadth of Christian expression in the arenas of scholarship, science and medicine, the arts, and culture. The series is generously funded by Nancy and Stephen Scoper, M.D., through their gift to the University of Virginia, designated to Theological Horizons.
This year’s focus on the law illuminates the prayer that “love is the motive but justice is the instrument.” (Reinhold Niebuhr)
Watch “True Justice,” below, the Emmy award winning documentary that follows Bryan Stevenson and his Equal Justice Initiative’s struggle to create greater fairness in the criminal justice system.