8 Religion/Spirituality/Worldview Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Considerations for Leaders
Grounding
Choose some ritual(s) that will bring your mind/body into focus as you take in the following chapter.
When you are ready to bring your attention to the material in this chapter:
- Try and remember the first experiences you had and messages you received about people from religious identities that were different from your own.
- What did you witness and or what were you told in family settings, educational settings, faith settings, political and/or any other shaping communities about what it means to be not Christian (if you were raised in the United States. If you were raised in a country where another religion/spirituality/philosophy had more historical/political party answer accordingly.)
Groundwork
- Religion: an institutionalized pattern of centrally important values, beliefs, and practices that relate to spirituality. (Canda, 2008)
- Spirituality: the human search for a sense of meaning, purpose, and morally fulfilling relations with oneself, other people, the universe, and the ground of being, however that’s understood (such as theistic, non-theistic, animistic, combinations of these, and any other ways you can imagine)(Canda, 2008)
- Philosophy: the rational, abstract, and methodical consideration of reality as a whole or of fundamental dimensions of human existence and experience. (Brittanica, 2023)
- Worldview: A “perspective on life, a whole system of thought that answers the questions presented by the reality of existence.” — Francis Schaeffer
Theoretical Frameworks
- Liberation Theology
- Disability Theology
- Womanist Theology
- Queer Theology
Language Matters
Intersections & Institutions
- RSPW & SES: Good Faith Media, 2019
- RSPW & LGBTQ Identity: Reconciling Network (Methodist Church),
- Antidefamation League Antisemitism Spike (2023) or Antisemitism is on the Rise, and it’s not just Ye. (NPR, 2022)
- RSWP and Mental Health: Medicine Wheel Practices for Mental Health
Stories & Celebrations
- Good Neighbear Podcast Interviews Kayla Close (Atheism)
- Enfleshed.com
- International Day to Combat Islamophobia
References
Bedell, R. (2020, January 27). Queer Theology—Learning from LGBTQ+ Christians. Pres House. https://preshouse.org/blog/queer-theology-learning-from-lgbtq-christians/
Disability Theology (@disabilitytheology) • Instagram photos and videos. (2023). [Instagram]. https://www.instagram.com/disabilitytheology/
Enfleshed. (2023). Enfleshed. https://enfleshed.com/
Hagen, L. (2022a, December 1). Antisemitism is on the rise, and it’s not just about Ye. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/11/30/1139971241/anti-semitism-is-on-the-rise-and-not-just-among-high-profile-figures
Hagen, L. (Director). (2022b, December 1). Antisemitism is on the rise, and it’s not just about Ye. In All Things Considered. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/11/30/1139971241/anti-semitism-is-on-the-rise-and-not-just-among-high-profile-figures
Hagen, L. (2023, January 12). Anti-Defamation League survey finds a spike in antisemitic beliefs. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/01/12/1148478489/antisemitic-beliefs-anti-defamation-league-survey
Medicine Wheel—Practices for Spiritual Health. (2023, March 4). Tribal Trade. https://tribaltradeco.com/blogs/medicine-wheel/medicine-wheel-practices-for-spiritual-health
Nations, U. (n.d.). International Day to Combat Islamophobia. United Nations; United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/observances/anti-islamophobia-day
Reconciling Ministries. (2022). Reconciling Ministries. https://rmnetwork.org/
TED-Ed (Director). (2013, November 14). The five major world religions—John Bellaimey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6dCxo7t_aE
The Good Neighbear: Sn 8, Ep 2 – BIC Student – Kayla. (2022). https://thegoodneighbear.libsyn.com/sn-8-ep-2-bic-student-kayla
Womanist Theology | Encyclopedia.com. (n.d.). https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/legal-and-political-magazines/womanist-theology