Putting endangered species on the cross is neither sacrilege nor inaccurate. These species are expressions of God’s presence and are being crucified by the powers of empire, corporations, major banks, big pharma, big ag, and consenting religion. Just like Rome’s imperial powers and the Jewish Temple elite collaborated to crucify Jesus because he got in their way, so today’s endangered species are in the way of making money and holding power.
Most congregations today focus on personal matters, including personal salvation, and on maintaining their institutions. Yet, they are at a loss for how to re-center their focus, their teaching and practice on saving life on Earth. Does anyone feel irrelevance here?
The clergy celebrating Mass, Communion, or the Lord’s Supper have, for so many centuries, focused on personal salvation when breaking bread and holding up the chalice. It has me wondering whether they even see “the far more” that lies beyond this narrow, individualistic meaning? I empathize. For 32 years I was exactly that kind of clergy.
JEM is announcing a series of one-hour, monthly “Jubilee Forums,” on the first Saturday of the month, STARTING SEPTEMBER 3, 2022, 9 am Pacific Daylight Time. The first Forum will be on “Jubilee and Climate Breakdown.” Seeing that Jesus framed his entire ministry on Jubilee, we will too. There is no charge.