M. Shawn Copeland on Confronting Racism in the Church (Plus "An Examen for Racism")

Today's guest is Dr. M. Shawn Copeland, professor emerita of theology at Boston College and one of the most distinguished religion scholars of our time. Dr. Copeland has written and spoken widely on a range of topics from theological anthropology to Black Catholicism to political theology. Her most recent book is "Knowing Christ Crucified: The Witness of African American Religious Experience." Dr. Copeland is a former President of the Catholic Theological Society of America, and she was the first Black theologian to hold that role. She is also recipient of the Society's highest honor, the John Courtney Murray Award. Host Mike Jordan Laskey asked her for her take on the rise in anti-racist protests around the country and beyond. They also discussed the ugly legacy of racism within the American Catholic Church, and how we can all work to make the church more just and equitable. Then, after their conversation, stay tuned for a fabulous new spirituality resource titled “An Examen for Racism" (46:30). The examen is one of the signature practices in Jesuit spirituality, and it typically involves reflecting on the events of your day, searching them for God’s presence and asking for the grace to grow in faith, hope and love. This particular examen invites us to search our hearts to reflect on how we participate in systemic racism. It also invites us to look forward to see how we might take a stand against racism in our own lives. Two Jesuits, Patrick Saint-Jean, SJ, and Christopher Alt, SJ, collaborated on this project. More about Dr. Copeland: https://www.bc.edu/content/bc-web/schools/mcas/departments/theology/people/retired-faculty/m-shawn-copeland.html Text version of "An Examen for Racism": https://jesuits.org/news-detail?TN=NEWS-20200617120944 Don’t forget to subscribe to AMDG wherever you listen to podcasts.