At a Glance:
- Join us in welcoming the Rev. Dr. Brandon Crowley as EDS’ first Director of Theological Education
- Join EDS for a summer book read of The Asylum Seekers by the Rev.Cristina Rathbone
- Registration by lottery opens today for Dr. Kwok Pui Lan and Bishop Ian Douglas’ “Living Postcolonial Anglicanism” fall course
Dear EDS Community,
I pray you are all well and taking some time for rest and rejuvenation this summer. Even as our work feels increasingly pressing and urgent, I’m reminded that rest and community are vital for our sustained commitment to justice - and I’m grateful to have the chance to embrace some of both recently, even as the EDS team has had quite a busy summer!
I’m just returning from a truly profound and moving experience in Brasilia, Brazil, where Dr. Kwok Pui Lan and I attended a workshop on decolonializing theological education hosted by the Commission for Theological Education in the Anglican Communion. I was proud that EDS could support this gathering financially - significantly widening participation and increasing the inclusion of Indigenous leaders and young theologians.
As we continue to envision future offerings and programs for EDS, I am moved by how much our colleagues across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada have to teach us in this moment. We have a unique opportunity to embrace together a decolonizing, anti-imperialist theology. I trust that this collaborative work will be an important contribution, not just to The Episcopal Church, but also to the Anglican Communion and the world.
The entire gathering was a rich, trilingual experience in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, and while there were times we didn't understand every word, we still understood one another. This was especially true following the conference, when Pui Lan and I visited the Catedral Santa Maria in Belém. Deão (Dean) Ives Vergara invited the entire congregation to sing a special song of blessing over us (photo below).
As I prepare to head to Alabama later this week to remember Jonathan Daniels on the 60th anniversary of his martyrdom, I believe EDS is honoring his legacy well. As Ruby Sales would later say, they made the decision to “participate in the moment.” Ruby’s words invite all of us to show up, to find and listen to voices that have been silenced, to reimagine and reshape the world to reflect God’s divine love for each of us.
With hope,
Lydia
