Dear Friends, I am still trying to figure out a schedule for writing and sending substack emails. I figured tonight would be an important night to send y’all an email, given the mid-term elections are today. I’m writing about current events and also what’s coming down the pipeline. I’m also wanting to explore my next book-length project on freedom and belonging, but I will wait for another email to begin that conversation. Nevertheless, I hope you will read the entire email to see everything!
I committed myself to watching the mid-term election results, despite my anxiety leading up to the election. I’ve grown concerned as I have watched politicians and media personalities leverage extreme right-wing agendas. I am really worried about all of us and how divided we are. I grow concerned as ChristoFascist politics and Theocratic Fascism emerges not only in the state where I live but around the country.
As I type this, I am watching the returns. I find myself still anxious and curious if we can return to the practice of democracy. Diana Butler Bass called democracy a spiritual practice, and I thought that was apt. We should be mindful of democracy and we should contemplate democracy and then enact democracy.
The Tennessee gubernatorial race was just called for incumbent Bill Lee; this won’t be good for all Tennesseans, and I am concerned about how he will weaponize conservative politics against the underside of history, including myself and my family.
I’ll continue to watch the results and continue to hope against all hope. Whatever the outcome is, I hope we follow Diana’s suggestion to make democracy a spiritual practice of contemplative activism!
Now for some good news!
I had the privilege of participating in a summit that Activist Theology Project partnered with Convergence and sponsored. A total of 16 silenced voices were interviewed, and each of the voices is an attempt to center the silenced voices of our faith and justice movements. There are some great voices in the summit, and I hope you will consider signing up to watch the interviews! To make it easy, I’m posting some links and some pictures, so that you have a sense of what’s happening and where to find the summit!
For starters, if you want to sign up for the summit, click here. It’s FREE! To learn more about the summit, click here, and see the schedule and line up.
As you think about whether signing up for the summit, let me ask you what the interviewer asked me: What is the biggest liberative challenge of our day? If you find yourself curious what others have said and how they have answered, consider signing up for the FREE summit! Click here to register!
Now, another event that is happening is the event I’m doing with Derek Webb in LA and San Diego! Have you seen the social media posts about this? Click here to learn more about the events. See the photos below to see location!
I look forward to being in touch in the coming days. Let us endeavor to steward ethical futures in all we do! Soon, Activist Theology Project will announce the spring retreat on imagining another possible world! When that is announced, I’ll be sure to let you know! There are limited spots available!
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Onward, -Dr. Roberto Che Espinoza.