Aaron Stauffer: Theology for Action

Homebrewed Christianity

Dr. Tripp Fuller | Theologian, Philosopher, Minister

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.6 • 612 Ratings

🗓️ 7 August 2024

⏱️ 104 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, we are joined by social ethicist Dr. Aaron Stauffer to guide us through the intersection of theology and community organizing. Aaron, a coordinator for the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion & Justice and author of Listening to the Spirit, explores the intertwining of theology, activism, and justice. Discover how faith has historically inspired activism and can energize current movements. The dialogue delves into sacred values, community organizing, and the transformation of religious and political landscapes. Topics include bipartisan politics, military spending, foreign policy, and the role of unions like the UAW. Reflect on the impact of historical social movements, the military-industrial complex, and theological perspectives on democracy and class solidarity. Learn about upcoming events like Theology Beer Camp and the concept of Solidarity Circles to build supportive networks of change-makers. This episode is a compelling blend of faith, practical efforts for social change, and community values. Aaron Stauffer is the Director of Online Learning and Associate Director of the Wendland-Cook Program at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. He earned his PhD in social ethics at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York and has organized with the Industrial Areas Foundation in San Antonio, Texas and Religions for Peace. His work has appeared in Tikkun, Sojourners, The Other Journal, Political Theology, and CrossCurrents, as well as other scholarly and popular publications. About Solidarity Circles Building Solidarity by Deep Transformation Faith leaders, clergy, & organizers today feel more isolated than ever. We are over-resourced and under-connected. We need spaces and networks to organize together. Solidarity Circles are built to meet this need. These are virtual peer-networks for faith leaders, organizers, clergy, and members of the community who realize that the solidarity economy is essential for the flourishing of life and our faith communities. Solidarity circles are one way the Wendland-Cook Program is seeking to revitalize and build the church and Christian theology in positive ways. We believe that this work is deeply connected to the mission and vocation of Christian churches. Broadly understood, the cooperative and solidarity economy are ways of addressing longstanding economic inequalities within our society, including white supremacy and gender and sex inequities. We're so excited about the work we can do together. INFO HERE Watch the conversation on YouTube _____________________ Join my Substack - Process This! Join our upcoming class - THE GOD OF THE BIBLE: An Absolutely Clear and Final Guide to Ultimate Mystery ;) Come to THEOLOGY BEER CAMP. Follow the podcast, drop a review, send feedback/questions or become a member of the HBC Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What is up theology nerds? This is Trit. And today on Homebrew Christianity, you get to hear a conversation with my friend Aaron Stauffer. He's won the coordinators for the Windland Cook Program and Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt, a regular partner with York Grieger there. And he has a brand new book, Listening to the Spirit.
0:23.4	It's a good one. It's not just a book thinking about theology and activism and justice.
0:28.9	It's also looking at the history of the way faith has inspired, activism and movement politics.
0:36.3	And in addition, it thinks about how we do that bring that
0:40.5	energy to faith-based inspired activism uh in a contemporary context i explores the concept of
0:48.3	sacred value of a broad-based community organizing and a kind of a transformation of sorts of the social gospel
0:56.4	from a time where in America was dominated culturally by the church to a time in which there
1:01.6	are multiple religious traditions and then people who share the deep values of religious
1:06.5	traditions they don't belong to one and so he's not just a theorist of this stuff, but on the
1:13.6	ground working at it through the Windland Cook program and his own kind of working with
1:18.8	movement politics and such. So it was quite a joy to get to talk to him a little wise back and
1:24.1	now I get to share it with you. One thing that I really want to emphasize,
1:27.8	well, actually two, two. One is Wendland Cook Center for Religion and Justice are one of the
1:33.3	sponsors this year for Theology Beer Camp, October 17th and 19th in Denver, 17th and Denver
1:38.3	Beardt,com, if you want to check it out. And one of the things that they're doing is actually
1:42.5	bringing a part of their work at bringing together local community organizers, faith communities, faith leaders, and the resources of movement politics and organizing to make a difference on the ground.
1:57.1	They're going to be bringing that to camp to help us think about what it would be like to put in action, right?
2:02.6	A lot of the theological reflection about God's desire for the world.
2:07.4	What would it be like to organize and connect and build community that does that today?
2:12.1	And one of the expressions of that is their solidarity circles.
2:16.4	We've talked about it maybe a year or two ago on the podcast when Yorg Rieger was on.
2:20.4	We talked about it.
	...

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