The Life of Trees, Rooted in Our Watersheds (Guest Speaker: Christy Randazzo)
Matthew 4:12-23
Christy Randazzo (PhD - Quaker Theology, Univ. of Birmingham) is a writer, teacher, academic, minister, spouse, parent, a convinced Friend, and many other paradoxical and fantastic things besides. They teach at Montclair State University (NJ) and Earlham School of Religion, serve as co-chair for the Quaker Theological Discussion Group, and edit the Politics of Scripture project for the journal Political Theology.
They have written in a variety of both academic and popular settings, including the Quaker biblical studies series Illuminate, and two books for the Brill Quaker Studies series, including the recently published Quakers, Ecology, and the Light. Their most recent publication - Divine Ecosystem: A Quaker Theology - grafts together Quaker theology and the Christian ecotheological tradition. When they’re not writing or walking, they live with their family in a beautiful Victorian home in New Jersey.
Matthew 4:12-23 (NRSV):
12 Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13 He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
15 “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
16 the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
23 Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
Queries:
What are the stories that shape your world? Why do they, and should they?
How does the shape of your body and soul impact how you experience the world, and the Divine?
What shapes how you interpret and understand the experience of the Light?
How do you testify to that experience?
What are the implications of the beliefs that shape you?
How are you planting seeds of hope for the future?