What’s Old Is (Re)New(ed)!
When the Roman king Numa Pompilius added January and February to the calendar in about 713 BCE, the first month
by Mara Richards Bim
After two years with Faith Commons—first as a pastoral intern and then as the program director, I am departing the organization. On June 22nd I’ll be joining Royal Lane Baptist Church as their first Justice and Advocacy Fellow in the newly-launched Prophetic Leadership Program.
While I have some sadness over leaving Faith Commons, I know that my work with the organization and with George and Nancy will continue. I am also taking with me some insights from our work together that are worth sharing.
In April I went to Austin for what felt like the umpteenth time to testify against an awful bill that was introduced to impose a warped version of Christianity upon public school children. SB-10 required the posting of a version of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in Texas. After waiting for more than 22 hours, I testified at 5:30 a.m. It was clear that nothing anyone was going to stop the bill from being sent on from committee, and I cried through my testimony. Just before I spoke, I corrected the record to say I was speaking on behalf of myself and Faith Commons. That correction didn’t make it into the record which meant that during debate on the House floor, Rep. Talarico was able to call a point of order and delay the bill. Yes, it still passed, but the House was forced to show the hypocrisy of their actions by passing a bill imposing the Ten Commandments on every student and teacher while breaking the commandment about working on the Sabbath.
In February I had the chance to join George and Nancy in Washington D.C. for Democracy Forward’s 2nd Annual Together for Democracy conference. The experience was transformative. I met and learned from people of all faiths and none from across the country who are focused on preserving the democratic values we hold dear. Doing this kind of work day in and day out can feel isolating, so making time to intentionally connect with others doing the same kind of work is good for the soul. It also inspires creative thinking and problem solving. If you are reading this newsletter, you are also likely concerned about the state of our world. You are not alone. Find ways to connect with others to take action. In addition to Faith Commons, other organizations to connect with include: Texas Impact, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance, National Council of Jewish Women, Texas Freedom Network, and so many more.
In February I had the chance to join George and Nancy in Washington D.C. for Democracy Forward’s 2nd Annual Together for Democracy conference. The experience was transformative. I met and learned from people of all faiths and none from across the country who are focused on preserving the democratic values we hold dear. Doing this kind of work day in and day out can feel isolating, so making time to intentionally connect with others doing the same kind of work is good for the soul. It also inspires creative thinking and problem solving. If you are reading this newsletter, you are also likely concerned about the state of our world. You are not alone. Find ways to connect with others to take action. In addition to Faith Commons, other organizations to connect with include: Texas Impact, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, Religious Action Center for Reform Judaism, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, Interfaith Alliance, National Council of Jewish Women, Texas Freedom Network, and so many more.
Specifically, all the major religions command that we treat others as we wish to be treated. While I knew this to be true, hearing it said so frequently over the past two years by so many good people of all faiths has affirmed for me the goodness that each of us can bring to the public square. As we work for a better world, we must not neglect to build friendships across religious lines in acting for the common good.
The commons is under attack. Bad actors share misinformation and disinformation challenging even the notion of truth itself. In a moment like this, trusted voices are desperately needed to steer our country back to a shared understanding of what is good and noble and true. However, the loudest religious voices are supremacists seeking to wield their religion as a bludgeon to dominate the rest of us. Our country needs people of faith to speak up and speak out with moral clarity. As daunting as that seems, this is the moment our faith traditions have prepared us to step into.
I look forward to our paths continuing to cross.
Peace and blessings,
Mara
When the Roman king Numa Pompilius added January and February to the calendar in about 713 BCE, the first month
‘Tis the season, when we celebrate holidays in our traditions that are meant to bring light to a dark time