The holy season of Lent came to an end this past Sunday as millions celebrated Easter. While one would think that the Religious Right might take some time off, their outrage machine is working harder than ever – this time to attack fellow Christians. This week on State of Belief, Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, we will look into what one church did to mark Lent, and how the right wing echo chamber sprang into attack mode.
Members of the First United Church of Oak Park marked this season of reflection and contemplation in a unique way that called attention to racial inequities in the church and the broader community: a “Fast from whiteness.” The Rev. John Edgerton, lead pastor at the church, will join Rev. Welton Gaddy, host of State of Belief, to discuss what this fast meant, and how the congregation dealt with attacks from across the nation fired up by right wing media.
It was one of the iconic images following the 9/11 attacks: rescuers rushing the lifeless body of a Catholic priest from Ground Zero. Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan friar and a chaplain for the city’s fire department, was designated victim 0001 and has since been memorialized as an icon not only to those impacted by this tragedy, but New York City’s LGBTQ+ Catholic community as well. Rev. Gaddy will sit down with Francis DeBernardo, longtime head of New Ways Ministry, to discuss his new biography of Father Mychal, Take Me Where You Want Me To Go.
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