SEASON 2, SHOW 4: BISHOP YVETTE FLUNDER
This week's show features Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder, Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship and Senior Pastor, City of Refuge United Church of Christ and author of the book Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion.
This was a fascinating conversation with a fascinating woman.
Religion and politics, goes the rule, are the subjects to avoid discussing where possible. What fun would a talk-show be, however, if we adhered to that rule? I actually enjoy discussing those topics with individuals whose ideas and philosophies are outside of the mainstream of what you normally hear. On the talk show I want to have conversations with people of MANY different political and, yes, religious perspectives. So when my good friends Pastor Vanessa Brown and Prohpetess Tanya Maryoung of the Rivers of Living Water Ministry in Harlem gave me a copy of the book written by their Bishop, Yvette Flunder, it seemed as good a place as any to begin that type of exploration.
What makes these types of conversations challenging for so many is that most people have accepted one form of theology or another, and there is ideological conflict when they have conversations with people whose beliefs do not dovetail with (if they don't directly contradict) their own. As I mentioned to Bishop Flunder during this show, as an agnostic I am completely unencumbered by that. I "opt out" of the drama and conflict; considering how much drama and conflict I can't opt out of, it's a wonderful gift to be free of the religious type. I do, however, find religion fascinating on an intellectual level. And I certainly understand why people need it, even if I personally do not. I worry when religion ceases to be a source of strength, community and hope for people, but instead becomes a site of judgment, or shame, or manipulation, or violent conflict - among a myriad of unfortunate possibilities. We all know how many atrocities and unthinkable acts have been committed by people who believe their behavior to be condoned (or commanded) by "God." That precludes them from remorse. What can be more frightening?
Bishop Flunder's approach of "radical inclusion" is a refreshing counterpoint to all that. If I were in the market for a religion (which I determinedly am not), these concepts would be more in line with what I believe on an instinctive level. I look forward to talking to her again, as well as talking to people who disagree with her "all-is-welcome" approach to try to understand their thinking as well. And I'm also glad that negotiations are underway to do a show with a noted and pretty high-profile atheist author, whom I look forward to asking what he thinks of an approach like Bishop Flunder's, one that is devoid of all of the unhealthy proselytizing and finger-pointing that he uses as a basis for his visceral critique and rejection of all religion. I hope I get to talk to this gentleman before we break for the Winter.
No matter what your faith, I would think a rational person would find it difficult to disagree with Yvette Flunder's perspective. If you do, I'd love to hear from you. This won't be the last time that OPEN YOUR MIND ventures into topics of religion, and I really want to explore a variety of viewpoints. Let the sharing begin.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
SHOW CREDITS
ORIGINAL BROADCAST SITE: WNSR - NEWSCHOOLRADIO.ORG
Announcer
Angela Veliky
Show Theme Music:
Open Your Mind
Melissa Etheridge
from the Island Records album The Awakening (2007)
Published by Sons of Ridge Road (ASCAP)