Don’t forget to Play a little!
Washington, DC, here we come. Each global city we have encountered has been rich in history and intellect. We began our journey as cohort 2 in South Africa, being encouraged to play. To have fun. We finished our time there, walking into Desmond Tutu’s foundation with a mannequin swinging from the Chandeliers. This image has stuck with me throughout my Doctoral studies as it can seem so serious. I have a serious job; it’s not funny; it’s deep and meaningful work to journey spiritually with someone dying and to help lead and develop those who do this work. Yet, hospice clinicians have some of the best humor, and we can laugh at ourselves and sometimes the absurdity of life. I say all of this because we are being called to be strong, centered, critical-thinking leaders in a broken world through all our readings and discussions.
I used to love politics and was at one time in college a criminal justice major, but I have become very disenfranchised with the idea of America, and leading into this election, I feel exhausted and tired of loving people anyway. That is my modus operandi. I may not agree with your politics or beliefs, but I believe in imago dei; all are created in the image of God. And so I will bravely put my feet down in D.C. and be there in all my anxiety, worry, and disillusionment. A big part of my ability to do that is I am with you all, my friends and critical thinking partners. You all represent hope to me. And while politics is serious and America is in a tenous state, I hope we can find time to laugh and also enjoy this crazy ( a doctorate) thing we are doing!
Jim Wallis’ God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets it Wrong, and the Left Doesn’t Get it.
Pivotal points/thesis
Wallis challenges the religious and faithful in their involvement on our two-party system’s right and left sides. Two chapters stood out to me, and I think they all stood out for all the right reasons. One was Chapter 5: How should your faith influence your politics? What’s a Religious Voter to Do? What a timely chapter when people of faith are becoming increasingly divided in politics, yet both sides say they vote how their faith tells them to. Chapter 18 also stands out to me: A Consistent Ethic of Life. I honestly struggle with one voting issue and find it telling that this book was written in 2003 and completely applies to us today.
Questions for the Author
- If you were to “rewrite” this book today, 21 years later, would you change anything?
- What do you think needs to happen to change the trajectory of our political landscape? Can it be done?
Brett Fuller’s Dreaming in Black and White
Pivotal points/thesis
Brett Fuller takes an opportunity in Dreaming in Black and White to acknowledge his calling to explain black culture to white people and to explain white culture to black people. Brett takes us as readers through his family’s history, leading to significant Black history. He is honest and gives an excellent summary of many of the atrocities that have occurred for Black Americans. Brett concludes his book with a letter to young black Americans, reminding them of where we have been as a nation but challenging them to use their voice to speak about what’s happening now. Brett empowers our youth to know where they are from and to talk about where they are going. I found this book very informative and empowering to continue to wrestle and work on what it means to be an ally.
Questions for the Author
- In the book, you spoke about some of the experiments that healthcare has done without the proper permission of African American patients. As I work in healthcare and in Hospice (which predominately serves white people), how can we in Hospice come alongside to help African Americans die with peace and dignity without them feeling like they have been “given up on”?
Brett Fuller’s High Ceilings: Women in Leadership
Brett Fuller has taken a very controversial topic within Churches and provided a very concise, short, and impactful understanding of some of the “clobber” verses in the Bible often used to keep women submissive. Brett explains four definitions of how males and females should interact: Complementarian, Egalitarian, Complematarian-Egaliatarian (new one for me), and Suppressionist. Brett explains that there are some areas where men are in authority over women (ie.. marriage) but that there is nothing stating a Woman cannot live out her full calling as God has given.
Questions for the Author
- How do you advise women in marriages where the man is not following Jesus and yet demands submission to him? I have counseled many women in the church who struggle with taking the spiritual lead for this reason but don’t have a husband who does. What do you advise?
About the Author
Jana Dluehosh
Jana serves as a Spiritual Care Supervisor for Signature Hospice in Portland, OR. She chairs the corporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee as well as presents and consults with chronically ill patients on addressing Quality of Life versus and alongside Medical treatment. She has trained as a World Religions and Enneagram Spiritual Director through an Anam Cara apprenticeship through the Sacred Art of Living center in Bend, OR. Jana utilizes a Celtic Spirituality approach toward life as a way to find common ground with diverse populations and faith traditions. She has mentored nursing students for several years at the University of Portland in a class called Theological Perspectives on Suffering and Death, and has taught in the Graduate Counseling program at Portland Seminary in the Trauma Certificate program on Grief.7 responses to “Don’t forget to Play a little!”
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Jana, like you I’m also feeling a little anxiety at being in DC during such a tense, fraught election season. Thanks for your reflections.
I appreciated your summaries of the three books. Your second question for Wallis really stood out to me: What do you think needs to happen to change the trajectory of our political landscape? Can it be done? I’m very much looking forward to hearing his answer!
We got you Jana! Politics and the current climate can be overwhelming, but it is nice to have some people around who are full of grace, critical thinking, and joy!
I loved your question about “What would you change 20 years later?” I hope you get to ask that one. I’m curious what he will say.
Hi, Jana,
Yes!!! The Desmond Tutu Museum’s Chandelier Flying Manequin is a continuing memory for me too! I also remembered several of Tutu’s photos showing him in an all out belly laugh. He certainly had his share of woes and concerns, and yet, he allowed joy to flow freely.
Thanks for bringing up the need for us to enjoy the last leg of this journey together!
Hi Jana!
Thank you for your fascinating post. You wrote, “That is my modus operandi. I may not agree with your politics or beliefs, but I believe in imago dei; all are created in the image of God.” I like that concept because we encounter the image of God in each other and discover our “other selves” in each other. How do you relate the idea of imago dei to our three books? What is the biggest challenge to the struggle to humanize humans?
I look forward to seeing you in DC. Blessings.
Ok, this is a great question: Can it be done? I think Wallis has some great challenges for us, but it’s the practical ‘can it be done’ in the US or is it more of a aspirational dream that will never quite happen?
And I’m looking forward to playing in DC. I know you were challenging us to not forget to play in life, but I’ve hit a season where some ‘down time’ (even though school is intense) will be so helpful.
See you in a couple of days. Safe travel.
Jana,
Thank you for the openness expressed in this post about the concerns you have about the current political climate. I am looking forward to seeing everyone and the fun we always have, but in the back of my mind are the stories from my son-in-law who works at The Hill who has shared about numerous government recess days due to the threats to made to various government facilities and the staff safety. I have rested in “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Hebrews 10:23. . . Looking forward to seeing you and all our Co2+ pals.
Jana,
I love this question:
“If you were to “rewrite” this book today, 21 years later, would you change anything?”
I would love to hear his answer to this question. I hope that you get a chance to ask it.
Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow.