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An Advent Vision of Hope for the World
In Advent we anticipate the coming of Christ, who is already with us but whose liberating presence is not yet fully revealed. Early Advent texts vividly portray apocalyptic images, warnings to keep awake, and John the Baptist’s fiery calls to repentance. This year, as we reflect on these texts “with the Bible in one hand and the newspaper in the other” (Barth), they come to life in contemporary scenes of war and slaughter in the Holy Land. Such images, together with mass shootings, persistent injustices, and climate breakdown, make clear the violence and destructiveness of what Walter Wink called “the domination system” and Marcus Borg calls “the normalcy of civilization.”
Seeking God in a Time of Genocide
This is how the “Christmas story” ends (in Matthew), with the death of every male child in Bethlehem. Amidst the exaltations of “Peace on Earth” and “Hosanna;” the gifts of the magi, and the elation of the shepherds, it is easy to miss the devastating political situation that surrounds the birth of Jesus.
The story (in Luke) begins with a pregnant teenager forced to give birth far from home due to the whims of an Emperor. It ends with the holy family fleeing as refugees to Egypt and a massacre against the children of Bethlehem.
Help Support Our Justice-Seeking Work
Over the last 116 years, Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) has strived to uphold the core values of the Christian and Wesleyan tradition, values that compel us to seek justice, promote equity and equality, and embody love and compassion in our church and our world.
Introducing MFSA’s Organizing Associate
Hello! My name is Takundanashe Chinogwenya, and I am the new Organizing Associate at the Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA). I am from Harare, Zimbabwe. Currently, I am a second-year Master of Divinity, Social Justice Advocacy student. My passion lies in social justice advocacy, especially environmental justice, food justice, and racial and gender equality. I strive to be a defender of the vulnerable and marginalized members of society, as is the Christian mandate.
Reading Banned Books as An Act of Resistance
My parents used to joke that my second home growing up was my hometown’s public library. When I learned to ride my bike, I spent my summer vacations waiting for the library to open so I could ride my bike there and spend the whole day reading in the children’s room. I signed myself up for every single program. At the end of the day, I would pack my bags with whatever books I could carry home on my bike. My hometown’s library was the catalyst for me to learn about new places outside of my small town in Indiana. I dreamed about travel, living in big cities, meeting new people, and making a difference in the world, all thanks to the magical worlds that books transported me to. That’s the library's power—it can transport you to new worlds and experiences.