“Spread Love, Not Germs”
With the election just weeks away, many are worried about the possibility of violence and unrest. During a recent Theology & Peace Social Hour we compiled a list of resources and ways to prepare. Mimetic Theory helps us understand the nature of rivalry and its violent contagion. Let’s put those insights to positive use by preparing in advance various ways we can de-escalate violence. For instance, we encourage you to share examples of loving mimesis you have experienced personally or seen in the media. Feel free to post to the Theology & Peace Facebook page! Use #LoveContagion.
A new list of resources:
Books:
- Drew Hart, Who Will Be A Witness: Igniting Activism for God’s Justice, Love, and Deliverance
- Drew Hart, Trouble I’ve Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism
- Jemar Tisby, The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism
- Reggie L. Williams, Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance
- D.L. Mayfield, The Myth of the American Dream: Reflections on Affluence, Autonomy, Safety, and Power
- Nell Irvin Painter, The History of White People
- Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States
- Resmaa Menakem, My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies
Online Resources:
- The Collaborators Conference: “What is ‘Good’ or ‘Loving’ Mimesis? Understanding Different Models of Mimetic Desire for Creative Outcomes.” https://collaborators-conference.heysummit.com/talks/workshop-loving-mimesis-with-rebecca-adams/
- Follow up Conversation with Rebecca Adams: Thursday, October 22nd, 4:00 ET. Available to all all those who attended the Collaborators Conference. For those who did not attend, you can purchase a pass for access to past and future presentations and workshops: https://collaborators-conference.heysummit.com/checkout/select-tickets/
- Inverse Podcast: Belongs to the ones who are dissatisfied with the Bible being used to justify hatred.
- “Take to the Streets” Online Nonviolence Training: Basics of nonviolent tactics for social change and de-escalation (with Christian Peacemaker Teams) October 29, 4:00–7:00 PM ET https://cnyepiscopal.org/event/nonviolence-training/=
More ways to get involved:
Questions and concerns that we want to bring to the table:
- How do compassion and accountability go together?
- How can we bring up the problem of accusation, without being dismissed as defending the white racist structures?
- We all need training and spiritual practices similar to the Christian Peacemaker training.
- What can we accomplish in time for November 3rd?
- What creative tactics can help us dismantle the escalation and the media propaganda? Therapy llama ‘Caesar the No Drama Llama’ calms tensions at protests
- Where do you see loving mimesis happening in these days?
- How can we facilitate meetings between police and African American leaders, like the one that recently occurred in in York County, PA?
- How can we learn to know one another across lines of tension?
Finally, we want to amplify stories of loving mimesis:
- We ask that everyone share examples of loving mimesis you have experienced personally or have encountered in the media.
- Please join in amplifying public awareness of these stories by sharing on your social media accounts.
- We invite you to post them on the Theology & Peace Facebook page and on Twitter, in both cases using the Hashtag #LoveContagion
EXPLORING MIMETIC THEORY, BIBLICAL THEOLOGY, & BELOVED COMMUNITY 