Easter for the Outcasts

Becky Garrison recently made me aware of an article she wrote for the God’s Politics blog about a very interesting upcoming Easter service. Titled Easter for the Outcasts this is a look at an experiential new perspective on the implications of Easter. From the article – “Transmission, an underground Manhattan church, is working with sex workers and artists to celebrate Mary Magdalene’s role in the gospel resurrection story, her personal relationship with Jesus, her witness on behalf of the risen Christ, and contemporary sex worker issues.” The take on this is interesting (and no it isn’t just a reworking of gnostic ideas).

Read more about the service here.

What are your thoughts? reactions?

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This entry was posted on Monday, April 2nd, 2007 at 4:02 pm and is filed under Church, Holidays. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

5 Responses to “Easter for the Outcasts”

  1. Jemila Monroe Says:
    April 3rd, 2007 at 4:07 am

    This sounds amazing and provocative. Wish I could head to NY!

  2. Elizabeth Chapin Says:
    April 4th, 2007 at 2:20 pm

    Julie, I am surprised there are so few comments on this so far. I wish I could head to NY for this event also. So, why is it so important to decide whether Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, woman caught in adultery or whatever? Where can I read more about this issue?

    I attended an Easter Service last year that focused on Mary Magdalene’s role of announcing the resurrection and it was quite enlightening and refreshing. Would it be that Jesus is using this season of new life to bring new life to women everywhere, not just women in ministry?

  3. Jemila Monroe Says:
    April 5th, 2007 at 10:46 pm

    While I think in certain contexts the term is helpful, I think there is a real sense in which making a distinction between “women in ministry” and “women” can, if internalized too much, become misnomer, because all women are potentially women in ministry, sometimes even without knowing it. Sometimes even without trying. Sometimes simply by being who they are and the funky ways Holy Spirit uses this to grow others, whether by challenge or encouragement.

  4. Elizabeth Chapin Says:
    April 6th, 2007 at 10:16 am

    Jemila, I hear what you are saying but can we consider women who are not yet following Jesus as women in ministry? I don’t use the term women in ministry to refer to women who are ordained, employed at a church, etc., but to women followers of Jesus. I can certainly hear your point and may adjust my thinking as a result.

  5. Jemila Monroe Says:
    April 7th, 2007 at 4:56 pm

    Elizabeth, I hear what you are saying. I think it really depends on your viewpoint. Women who are not intentionally following Jesus probably would not understand themselves as women in ministry, but sure God has used them as ministers, whether as vessels of some compassion or truth and justice or grace, or whether as the enemy that we are called to love and in whom we are called to discover what it means to truly love God and one another…anyone can be a source of ministry to another if we are open to it.

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