Ep. 41: DeColonize Your Faith w/Dr. Randy Woodley
Show Notes
Episode Summary
There are some episodes that defy description, that cover so much ground that it is difficult to describe. This conversation with theologian, poet, activist, and historian Randy Woodley is one such episode. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again for those in the back: evangelicalism is a dominator religion. It seeks to dominate the earth, women, black and brown bodies, those on the fringes of faith, and anything or anyone that falls outside of its white supremacist worldview, and the consequences have been deadly. Dr. Woodley points us to a wilder, freer faith rooted in our Sacred Earth, indigenous spirituality, and the Divine relationship we have with every living creature. In an attempt to find Shalom, Dr. Woodley dismantles dominator religion by inviting us to tap into our ancestral heritage, become one with Nature, and free ourselves from participating in systems of oppression. And just for grins, we also talk about Critical Race Theory, COVID-19, climate change, and white supremacy. This is a deep and meaningful conversation for anyone looking to decolonize their faith.
Bio
Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley (PhD, Asbury Theological Seminary) is recognized as a Cherokee descendent by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians. He is a teacher, poet, activist, former pastor, missiologist and historian. Woodley received his baccalaureate degree from Rockmont College in Denver. He was ordained to the ministry through the American Baptist Churches in the USA in Oklahoma after graduating with a Masters of Divinity degree from Eastern Seminary (now Palmer Seminary) in Philadelphia. Randy's PhD is in intercultural studies from Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. He currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture at Portland Seminary.
Woodley’s books include Decolonizing Evangelicalism: An 11:59pm Conversation, The Harmony Tree: A Story of Healing and Community, Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision, and Living in Color: Embracing God’s Passion for Ethnic Diversity. He has authored numerous book chapters and contributed essays and articles in compilations such as the Dictionary of Scripture and Ethics, Poverty and the Poor in the World ’ s Religions, Evangelic al Post-colonial Conversations, and The Global Dictionary of Theology. Professor Woodley is active in the ongoing discussions concerning new church movements, racial and ethnic diversity, peace, racism, earth justice, Indigenous spirituality, interreligious dialogue and mission.
Quotables
“There really is no such thing as a ‘white guy’…when people came to America we had to buy into classifications because it was a white supremacist project.”
“Epigenetically, we are all indigenous to somewhere. We may not all know where…but there is a place where our ancestors start calling us back.”
“The earth is our first, longest, and most lasting teacher we have.”
“Indigenous people remember more and have forgotten less than other peoples right now and that’s why we need to look to our indigenous teachers and elders.”
“Western theology has completely missed the whole point of the Gospel….we need a do-over”
“Jesus didn’t give a damn about doctrine. He didn’t care what people believed, he cared about what they did.”
“It’s not about correct beliefs. We have this false notion that correct beliefs will lead to correct action.”
“Christians have been doing shit all over the world since being joined with empire, and there is no defense of it.”
“I talk about white supremacy because white supremacy is the reason why America has racism. And when I talk about it I am talking about specific structures, specific systems.”
“There are some places that are profoundly silent, and I think those are the places where the earth is speaking the loudest.”
“If you start trying to tear the system about, the system fights back. And you can’t win against Nature.”
“When we get out of our rightful place, the Earth fights back. And if fights back with what we are experiencing right now with climate change.”
“The Earth is sending us a message. If you are going to try and throw the balance off of the entire Earth, then I am going to take you out.”
Timestamps and References
[03:39]—Dr. Woodley’s regenerative work with Indigenous People’s in Oregon
[11:32]—Ways to reconnect to our Sacred Mother Earth
[15:32]—Our Sacred earth and the notion of Panentheism
[18:15]—Other names for God than God
[19:57]—Reinterpreting the Genesis story of Creation in terms of relationship, reciprocity, and stewardship instead of domination
[28:30]—Critical Race Theory and decolonizing evangelicalism
[30:11]—Reconnecting with our Sacred earth
[39:25]—The role of silence as a Sacred practice
[42:38]—White supremacy and the fate of the earth, our ecological crisis and how COVID-19 might be the earth’s reaction to our domination
[47:30]—How Millennials just might save us from our current ecological crisis
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Credits
This episode was produced by The Sophia Society and written by Kelly Rose Lamb and Gary Alan Taylor. Music is by Faith in Foxholes.
The end goal of Christianity isn’t to sin less, it is to become just like Jesus. Theosis or deification is the transformative path we are asked to walk, its aim is nothing less that complete union with God.