|
Normal October things: The squirrels are decimating my neighbors’ decorative gourds. Grocery stores have questionable new pumpkin spice-ified products (pumpkin spice hummus? Umm, no). And to mark the recent feast day of Saint Francis—the venerable befriender of animals and renouncer of wealth—my church just blessed a dozen dogs, an iguana, and one annoyed cat. Sorry, Louie. Not normal October things: A president and his administration who, in advance of the upcoming midterms, seem all too willing to “abuse the power of the federal government to overturn the will of voters,” writes Adam Russell Taylor. We need to take these threats seriously, Adam explains—not so that we become nervous balls of anxiety or harden into cynicism, but to live into our calling as Christians. While others spread lies, we want to be people of truth, who “do good; seek peace, and pursue it,” as the psalms say. And he offers three practical ways we can help ensure the upcoming elections remain safe, free, and fair. A few more things you need to know this week: Three years of catastrophe: Artists, activists, writers, and theologians reflect on the deadly Oct. 7 attacks on Israel three years later—and the ongoing genocide in Gaza that has followed.
Politics in the pulpit: As midterms near, pastors told Sojourners about their struggle to preach about politics faithfully, clearly, and without further fracturing the communities they serve.
|
