201: The Church’s Responsibility to See Whom They have Cast Out
Feb 19, 2024
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Valerie and Nathan delve into the sin of exclusion within religious systems, emphasizing the importance of including outcasts like single, queer, and female individuals for the church's wholeness. They discuss the role of 'edge workers' in raising awareness of marginalized groups and advocate for a more inclusive and compassionate approach in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
44:03
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Quick takeaways
Inclusion of outcasts is vital for the church's wholeness and conversion, urging a more compassionate approach.
Religious systems should embrace outcasts on the edges, acting as catalysts for awareness and healing.
Deep dives
The Healing Power of Inclusion
The podcast explores the importance of inclusion and the healing power it holds for individuals and institutions. The speaker emphasizes that those who are excluded from any system often hold the secret for the conversion and wholeness of that very group. The church is highlighted as a group that should consistently go to the edges, embracing the least of the brothers and sisters, and even the enemy. By defining itself through inclusion rather than exclusion, the church fulfills its true vocation and becomes renewed.
Moving From Anger to Expansion
The podcast discusses the natural progression in faith expansion from being angry and critical towards an institution or belief system to defining oneself by what they are for. As individuals move away from defining themselves by what they are against, they find a broader and more inclusive perspective. The focus shifts from being reactive towards being expansive, allowing for a greater understanding of others' experiences and beliefs.
Recognizing the Mistreatment of Outcasts
The podcast addresses the mistreatment of outcasts within religious institutions and highlights the need for self-reflection and understanding. It points out that outgroups are often created through the exclusionary practices of institutions, causing pain and harm to those who do not fit the mold. The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing the flawed theology or doctrine that creates outcasts and working towards a more inclusive and compassionate approach.
The Role of the Outcasts in Temple Renewal
The podcast explores the idea that the church experiences conversion and renewal when outcasts are re-invited into the temple. Drawing from the example of Jesus sending healed outcasts back to their families or the temple, the speaker suggests that their re-inclusion is not just for their acceptance, but also for the group itself to be renewed. It calls for the church to reflect on why certain individuals were initially cast out and to embrace a mindset of healing and inclusion.
Series Title: Father Richard Rohr’s Influence on LDS Faith Crisis Healing [Part III of IV]
In this part three of their series celebrating some of the most significant spiritual work of Father Richard Rohr, Valerie and Nathan dive deep into the sin of exclusion which, ironically, is a serious issue within most religious systems.
This episode highlights how religious systems in general struggle with marginalizing other religious systems *and* create margins within their own systems. Reflecting on Richard Rohr's meditation from ''Yes! And" Daily Meditations, Nathan and Val discuss the necessary inclusion of outcasts who embody the church's rejected identities (single, queer, female, theologically nonconforming, etc) and are crucial for its wholeness and conversion.
They emphasizes the role of 'edge workers' positioned throughout the world— those on either border of the institution who can act as canaries in the coal mine, heightening awareness around their own systems' subtle and obvious outcasts. They heighten the importance of surrender to the validation of the institution in the service of serving God and those in and around the institution without social equity or who are too afraid or wounded to speak their own pain.
Together, they urge the necessity of moving beyond judgment and towards a more inclusive, understanding, and compassionate approach that embraces all, especially those who have felt marginalized within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Until this happens, the LDS church cannot serve its role as a faith community of true healing, growth, and transformation.
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