Christmas Shopping Tips

As you do your last minute Christmas shopping I’d recommend vehemently avoiding these stores: Abercrombie and Fitch,
Gymboree, Hanes, Ikea, Kohl’s, LL Bean, Pier 1 Imports, Propper International, and Walmart. Why? They have been listed by the International Labor Rights Forum as in the 2010 Sweatshop Hall of Fame. Basically, they are the most egregious users of slave labor for their products. (Please go read the report.) Anyways, adidas Group, Nike Inc., Knights Apparel and Gap Inc. are applauded in the report for their commitment to fair wages in Honduras when many U.S. trade organizations are fighting against this. For that they get commended and perhaps you can do some of your Christmas shopping at their stores. However, Nike has refused to work with Educating for Justice in securing living wages for their workers in Asia. This is a reminder of the complexity of such issues of justice, but I hope you take to heart that those who are the worst offenders (which is part of the reason they can sell things for such cheap prices, i.e. Walmart) should not be awarded. So, give a Christmas gift to someone on the other part of the world by letting these companies know you will not be financially supporting them while they function as slave masters.

On a happier note, Merry Christmas everyone!

The Innocence Project

One of America’s highest ideals is that all citizens, and I would argue people, have the right to a fair trial, proper representation and the presumption that they are innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, that ideal is many times not real. Those without the finances often do not get “proper” presentation. The number of public defenders with more cases than any person could adequately handle is far too large. However, one of the great disappointments I have with contemporary American culture is the loss of the dictum “innocent until proven guilty” as one we hold dear. In fact, in many cases, people are treated as if they are guilty until proven innocent. It seems to me that punishing an innocent person for a crime they did not commit is a greater crime than allowing a guilty person to go free. However, too often in the U.S. that is a travesty that occurs.

James Bain was just released from prison after 35 years because DNA evidence proves he was innocent of the crime he was accused of. He spent three and a half decades in prison for a crime he did not commit. Our tax dollars have paid for him, and 244 others who have been found innocent (plus the probably thousands more who have yet to be exonerated), to be locked behind bars. We owe him some form of reparations. Society owes him more than it can ever repay, but that does not mean we should not try.

As I’ve tried to think about my future in my doctoral program I’ve thought about several topics of research for my dissertation. This semester I’ve really been considering doing work on restitution laws for those who have been wrongfully convicted and found to be innocent. This intrigues me because it includes the overlap of several categories of interest for me: public forgiveness/reconciliation, restorative justice, social justice, racial justice (as a large number of the wrongfully convicted are African-American men), and how religion and theology intersect with society. It is also interesting that the state I am currently living in, Georgia, and my home state, Washington, do not have any restitution laws on the books. Currently, 27 states and Washington D.C. do, but several of those are inadequate. For instance, in my previous state of residence, California, people are eligible for some form of restitution if they can prove they have not done anything that contributed to their wrongful arrest and conviction. It seems that one who has been wrongfully kept in a concrete room behind bars having to prove they didn’t do anything to deserve to be there, which by definition they haven’t, just increases the injustice already committed against them by society.

The organization doing the most work on this particular societal injustice is The Innocence Project. Go check out their website and learn more about this issue. If you are at all moved or convicted please consider partnering with them in their work.

As Americans our ideals claim we believe this should never occur. As Christians we recognize those who have suffered in this way as counted among the “least of these” who need, and have the right to, charity, justice and repentance. Let us try to make our highest ideals and beliefs a reality for those to whom it is a lie.

Reflections on a Tragedy in my Hometown

This past Sunday Maurice Clemmons shot and killed four police officers in a coffee shop walking distance from the home of some of my family members. The church around the corner where I used to serve as a minister canceled services because all of the roads were closed so the police could conduct their search for Clemmons. The shop is right next door to a teriyaki place I frequented when I lived in the area. Even though I now live on the other side of the country, the news hit home hard. I first heard of the news as I read the headline on my computer screen. My immediate thoughts, after concern for my family, was whether I knew any of the victims, the shooter or anyone who was in the shop. Fortunately, I do not.

December 4, 2009 Peter Haley / The Tacoma News Tribune

The people I know in the area have expressed several emotions: fear, anger, confusion, grief. These understandable and justifiable emotions have been expressed in vigils, memorial services, prayers, and processions. They have also been expressed in celebrations of Clemmons’ killing and sentiments expressing relief at the end of his “evil” presence on earth. He has been vilified as a monster and deserving of his death in the street.

Clearly this event was horrible, tragic, and sinful. Spouses have been stripped of their partners, children of their parents and parents of their children. One wonders what could have led to the murder of the police officers; what could lead someone to such hateful actions. Clemmons’ life experience brought him to a place where he believed he needed to kill these officers. People’s experience of his actions have led others to believe he deserved to die, and many believe he did not deserve a trial.

In light of these reactions I am reminded of two of my personal heroes and global Christian leaders: Desmond Tutu and Martin Luther King, Jr. They both faced tragedies, personal and communal, with strength, courage and a commitment to Jesus’ example of love, justice and reconciliation. They refused to submit to the human inclination to demonize those who considered them enemies. They refused to let hate and revenge poison their souls and diminish their Christian commitments to love both neighbors and enemies. They inspire and humble me.

First Semester as a Doctoral Student

Well, as the lack of regular updates demonstrates being a doctoral student keeps me really busy! I did think some out there might be interested in what I have been studying, however, so here’s a quick synopsis of what I’ve been up to since September:

This semester I am enrolled in three doctoral seminars and am TA’ing one class at the seminary. My three classes are: 20th Century U.S. Christian Social Ethics with Elizabeth Bounds, Sociology of Religion with Steven Tipton, and Theoretical Issues in the Study of Black Religion with Dianne Diakite. The class I am TA’ing is Introduction to Christian Ethics taught by Timothy Jackson. I have to read an average of 3 1/2 – 4 books a week total for all of these classes.

Here are the course descriptions and main reading lists of my classes (I have only included major books, there are also lots of articles that I simply do not have the time to post):

More on Torture

I’ve got another post reflecting on torture, the U.S. and Christians at God’s Politics. Go check it out.

Reading French for Religious and Theological Studies

In every doctoral program in religion you will be required to pass an examination in one, but probably two, of these languages: French, German and maybe (the Euro/white bias is still prevalent in “progressive” academic spheres) Spanish. Of course, if you’re studying Asian or African religions or doing research that requires another language you can often substitute it for one of your languages, but you’re probably still going to have to know either German or French.

I am still in my first semester as a doctoral student at Emory University and had to take a language examination before my classes started. I chose French. I passed!

Now, languages have never been a strongsuit in my intellectual development. I studied Koine Greek as an undergrad, but struggled mightily to earn the good (but not great) grades I did.

Most wise students devote the summer before their first semester as a doctoral student taking a summer school course on a language to prepare for their exam. I did not. I spent the summer serving in Kenya and moving across the country. Obviously, I had no regular schedule and no time to take a class.

So, I purchased K. Janet Ritch’s book Reading French: A Guide Guide for Students of Religion and Theology. I pulled it out on airplanes, at my in-laws home, in Kenya and in my new apartment the week before my exam…and I passed my exam!

I tell this story to give my full endorsement for this book. Without any formal instruction I was able to learn to read French for academic research purposes. I (currently) speak no other modern language outside of English and can only read an ancient language that is no longer in use. The book is organized well, is easy to understand and provides adequate practice exercises. It does not, however, include an answer key, but I was able to obtain one simply by e-mailing Ritch.

The great thing about this book is it is geared toward religion students. So, the vocabularly includes many common words used in religious and theological studies, and many of the practice readings are from classic theological/religious texts. Most textbooks that are intended to teach reading competence in a language do not have this bias towards religious language. It seemed to me during my exam that I was searching for vocabulary a little less than some of my colleagues. I attribute this to the vocabulary I learned from Ritch’s text.

If you are going to prepare for a French language exam and want to save some money or are not able to enroll in a class I highly recommend this book. You must be self-disciplined, but if you are this book can prepare you to pass your exam with flying colors!

Good luck!

Dark Night of the Blog

Sorry for the absence, but I’ve been graduating from seminary and driving across the country and stuff like that. Right now I’m spending some time with family, and Des and I fly to Kenya in a week to spend the summer serving with Made in the Streets. After that we will be driving across the country again so I can begin my doctoral studies at Emory University’s Graduate Division of Religion. So…don’t expect to see much on here for the next couple of months. I might try to post something once in a while, but I’m not making any promises. Grace and peace to you all this summer.

Jesus: Revolutionary of Revolutionaries

I’ve got a new post at Wrecked for the Ordinary today entitled “Jesus: Revolutionary of Revolutionaries.” Go check it out.

So You Want to Go to Seminary?

This past Friday I attended my last class as a student at Claremont School of Theology. This upcoming Saturday I will graduate with a degree in Christian Ethics with an emphasis in Peace and Justice studies. I have been at CST for two years now and I thought I’d pass along some advice to anyone who may be considering going to seminary. This advice will be especially relevant, I think, for people who come from more “evangelical” or “conservative” theological backgrounds who are considering attending a “mainline” or “liberal” seminary.

I guess I should preface my advice with this background: I studied religion at Pepperdine University (a well respected “evangelical” university), I am a member of the churches of Christ (and was the only one at CST during my entire time here) which is congregational and has no formal ordination process, I was already a minister at a church when I entered seminary, I entered seminary considering further doctoral studies, I entered as an M.Div. student but switched to the M.A. in my second semester, I entered seminary married, and I held a full-time job on top of my part-time ministry work at the church and full-time studies. So, now on to the advice…

1. You first need to decide which type of seminary you want to attend. There are several factors which will help you determine this: professional goals, location, denominational affiliation, interests, cost/financial aid, etc. If you are not limited to a certain location I would recommend considering a school someplace new because of the way getting outside of one’s comfort zone physically somehow allows more “space” to get outside of one’s comfort zone theologically. If you attend a good seminary you will be challenged. In fact, I believe having your beliefs challenged and refined is one of the biggest blessings of seminary.

Thank You Normandie!

This past Sunday night was the last time I will be at Normandie Church of Christ for a while. After being a minister at the church the last four years Des and I will no longer attend Normandie. It has been a wonderful four years filled with excitement and disappointment, joy and sadness, and much growth spiritually.

Thank you for all you have given me Normandie. It has been my honor to serve in the same pulpit as the visionary Carroll Pitts once did. It has been humbling to speak to the you the Sundays after Barack Obama was elected and inaugurated and to share in history and your celebration in that way. Thank you for the willingness to listen to me, a young white/Korean guy (with all the racial tension that exists between black/white and black/Korean in L.A.), Sunday after Sunday and providing the space to grow into the preacher I’ve become. Thank you for the joy of seeing you dream of and then grow an exciting and thriving ministry to the thousands of homeless in L.A. Thank you for your willingness to be stretched and challenged by me in your faith and ministry. Thank you for partnering with me in my service to the “least of these” around the world. And thank you for all of the kind words, free meals and prayers for Des and I.

Normandie, you have taught me how to love and be loving, and inspired me with your faith and perseverance in prayer. I hope you know I have learned as much from you as I hope you have learned from me. It has been my pleasure to share life with you, with all of the ups and downs that have happened at Normandie over these last four years. It has not been a cake walk, and we have had our tense moments, but I am eternally grateful for my time with you.

Thank you for all you have done for me and my wife. You will always have a place in our hearts. Grace and peace.

Marching for Justice

Jesus sin Fronteras = Jesus Without Borders

This past Friday, May 1, 2009, I joined with thousands of others across the country in marching for immigrant and worker’s rights. I was part of the march that began in Echo Park in Los Angeles, went down Sunset Boulevard, and concluded in front of Our Lady of Queen Angeles Church near historic Olvera Street near downtown. At that location we created a giant human postcard that was sent to President Obama that said “Worker’s First.” (Pictures can be found here.) We marched, waved “We are Human” signs, chanted “Si se Puede!” and sang “La Bamba.” It was an honor to march in solidarity with those seeking justice in their lives. At the end of the day my feet were a little tired, but my soul was refreshed, I had let my voice be heard on the side of justice and I had spent time in the presence of God who was in our midst.

Reflections on Two Years with the Homeless

I’ve spent the last, roughly, two years working at a homeless shelter. In fact, this is the first Monday in a long while that I haven’t spent at the shelter doing things like helping homeless men create and stick to a budget, look for work, gain self-esteem, and learn life skills like cooking, opening a bank account or brushing their teeth. I even spent most of last Monday cleaning up the mess from, and fixing, a backed up toilet and septic system. These are the things that go on at a homeless shelter. During these last two years I have seen many men come through the doors of the shelter. Some eventually moved into their own apartments/rooms and others had to leave and ended up back on the street. I have seen families reunited, people get promotions and addicts relapse. There have been many days where seeing the joy on the face of a guy entering the shelter knowing they wouldn’t have to sleep outside any longer or moving out successfully has made everything worth it, but there have been more disappointments than successes and at times the job has been harder than I ever imagined.

Because Des and I will be moving out of southern California after I graduate, Friday was my last night on the job so that I can focus on completing my coursework and graduating with my masters degree. It was a fun night on Friday. The guys there cooked me a going away meal of ox tail, cornbread and red beans and rice. I, of course, brought my famous collard greens to the meal. It was sad saying goodbye to some of the guys I have worked with for a while now, but it was fun to celebrate in that way, and I know it was a gift to them for them to be able to serve me in that way. I know one guy had been saving up for a month to buy the food for the meal. Anyways, after almost two years working with homeless people trying to help them gain employment, save money, pay off debts, stay sober, make life improvements and move into their own places these are some of the lessons I have learned:

1. All kinds of people become homeless and you can never make a value judgment on why someone is homeless. Everyone has a story and if you don’t know it you can’t judge.