Subjects of their own Liberation: Facilitating dialogue in a monologue world

Subjects of Their Own Liberation:
Facilitating dialogue in a monologue world

Forthcoming in Just Preaching, Edited by André Resner Jr., Chalice Press, 2002

Many a pastor, priest and rabbi strive to preach and teach in ways that will inspire their parishioners to live lives marked by compassion and service to the poor and excluded. This prophetic task is highly complex, made especially difficult in mainstream circles by a myriad of nearly insurmountable obstacles.

Before considering some of these obstacles and strategies for preaching that empowers, I will briefly present my context and understanding of the role and objectives of the preacher followed by a dialogical sermon on John 9.

For the past twenty years I have read Scripture with people on the margins of the dominant culture who at the same time find themselves outside the institutional church. This ministry began in rural Honduras in the early 80's, where my wife and I worked for six years with a team of Central Americans to promote sustainable agriculture, preventative health and lead Bible studies in fields and homes with impoverished campesinos.

We currently serve as pastors of an ecumenical ministry to immigrant migrant farm laborers from Mexico -- many of whom are undocumented. I also serve as part-time chaplain of a county jail. I regularly gather with Hispanic inmates and immigrants both inside and outside the jail to talk about our lives and the Scriptures. In addition I often preach and teach in mainline Protestant churches, and teach Bible courses to Seminary students who were preparing for ministry.

Of all the people I read Scripture with, I find mainstream, mainline, English-speaking parishioners least able to engage in open dialogue about their lives, the Scriptures and the larger world. I often witness a notable contrast between raw, honest dialogue in Spanish about faith and life with Mexican inmates and more guarded, reluctant discussion with educated, English-speaking, Caucasian Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Roman Catholics.

Those with the least experience inside the institutional church appear less inhibited when it comes to participating in theological discussion than regular churchgoers, who tend to be more passive. While there are certainly numerous factors that could explain this contrast, I regularly return in my mind to one.

I am seeing a direct link between mainstream Christians' difficulties participating in discussion about their lives and the Scriptures and their lack of life-giving action on behalf of people on the margins.

How might the Scriptures both preached and studied finally empower mainstream Christians?