By the Rev. Jane Smith at Channing Memorial Church in Ellicott City, Md.
“Today we engage with those who do not find the holy in the ornate but instead who find the holy in the suffering. In the marginalized. Today we learn about Liberation Theology – a theology with Christian roots, created by those suffering from oppression. Partnered with this is Womanist theology – a form of liberation theology tailored specifically to black women. We garner wisdom from those who were presented with Christianity and used their imaginations to create a Christian theology that made sense to their own unique circumstances – finding meaning, sustenance, and strength. As we explore this theology we use the terminology of those who share these beliefs – we talk about the holy as seen as God and Jesus. We explore how to re-imagine the figure of Jesus and grapple with a re-imagined God. This is a theology shared by some groups of people who live lives on the margins.”