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Vice President's Letter:
People Are Power
There is a timeless charge that lives in liberation theology, womanist theology, and any ethical institution that wants to live. That charge is, “Speak truth to power.” On many occasions, I have carried out the intention of this charge with notable focus on the presumptive authoritative power in the room. Thirty years of activism have taught me that it is wise to assess power dynamics in a space, government, or organizational structure (Who leads? Who follows? Who resources the agenda?). It is wiser to understand what power-presenting voices value and where they have a history of investment. Follow the money. This saves the activist and the advocate valuable energy. Finally, it is wisest to know that every person in every room and outside of every room has power!
The moment we situate “power” apart from ourselves (spirit, mind, and body), we have lost ground in the struggle for justice. The achievements of the Civil Rights Movement, and all other movements that followed in its footsteps, are the direct result of a small but mighty group of faith-filled people who knew with certainty that they had power and were powerful.
A relationship with God can be signified by one’s understanding of divine power on earth. We do not second guess our power when kicking a ball, singing a song, or preparing dinner. Yet, we can overthink our ability to raise a concern, raise funds for equitable living, or even to simply avoid nervous laughter when nothing is funny.
Assuming a position of no power, is to willfully put on a garment of weakness. Such living is incongruent with the life of Jesus. Humbleness and power are not opposites, as evidenced in Nelson Mandela, Ida B. Wells, Greta Thunberg, and Malala Yousafzai. All Creation is power on earth!
Matthew 7:17 teaches, “We know a tree by its fruit.” As the offspring of God, crafted with shared DNA of the sun and moon, we can move forward with confidence in our identity as holy power—an incarnate hope of our Creator.
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