By: Cathy Glei on October 25, 2023
“Ours is not a historical work; what we are searching for is not a convincing sequence of outstanding events, but an explanation of their trend in terms of human institutions.” Karl Polanyi [1] “The Great Transformation: The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time” is a seminal work by Hungarian-American economist and social theorist Karl…
By: Becca Hald on October 25, 2023
My husband and I love going to the theater. Every year for our anniversary, we get season tickets. Last year, I was so excited to see Oklahoma! On the roster. I remember watching the movie of this musical growing up. I loved the fun, upbeat songs and cheerful melodies. We arrived at the theater for…
By: Kim Sanford on October 24, 2023
Black-and-white thinkingIn Oxford and immediately afterwards, our cohort had numerous conversations about over-simplified thinking. Simon Walker spoke about the overwhelming complexity of our current era and how our brains desperately grasp at over-simplifications. I found his explanations comforting. It’s not our fault that we reach for simplicity. Our brains crave it. Of course, as responsible…
By: Jonita Fair-Payton on October 24, 2023
I picked up The Great Transformation; The Political and Economic Origins of Our Time and I went straight to the back of the book looking for some insight before I began to read. The first thing that I read was Karl Polanyi (1886- 1964), I said a prayer that this book would be easier for…
By: Tim Clark on October 23, 2023
In the 1987 film, The Princess Bride, the character Vizzini, repeatedly uses the word “inconceivable” when things don’t go as planned. Finally, Inigo Montoya responds: “You keep using that word, I do not think it means what you think it means”. A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog I titled “Words Matter”, admitting that…
By: John Fehlen on October 23, 2023
Many agree that in the realm of economic and social thought, Karl Polanyi’s seminal work, “The Great Transformation,” has left an indelible mark. Although awed by his incredible level of intellect, that mark for me will be, well, delible and unremarkable. Published in 1944, this exhaustive (!) work explores the complex interplay between economic systems,…
By: Laura Fleetwood on October 22, 2023
It was May 2020, the world was in lock down, and I watched the television in horror as news broke about a police man pressing a knee to George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 20 seconds. To have an authority figure who is supposed to protect you needlessly destroy you is a horror that…
By: Chad McSwain on October 22, 2023
“Our struggles are not only external, against laws and institution, but internal, against our own malformed habits, feelings, and values. In this sense, we all participate in dignity because we all struggle against domination.”[1] We all struggle. We struggle externally or internally, but we are struggling against something that seeks to dominate us.…
By: Daron George on October 21, 2023
Introduction: In a world of divisions and hierarchies, the quest for dignity and joy becomes a collective endeavor transcending color lines. Vincent Lloyd’s ‘Black Dignity’ is a philosophical exploration of racial justice and human dignity, revealing how affirming black dignity is intrinsic to recognizing inherent human worth. As we navigate nuanced terrains of racial activism…
By: Esther Edwards on October 20, 2023
Throughout my life I have seen those who I admire show great self-responsibility, a hard work ethic, and a motivating drive to succeed. My parents and mentors were prime examples. Furthermore, a good work ethic is something we look for when we hire staff and it is something we have tried to instill in our…
By: Dr. Michael O'Neill on October 20, 2023
Black Dignity by Vincent Lloyd is a powerful and thought-provoking book that addresses the struggle against domination in a world marked by anti-Blackness.[1] As leaders in the Christian community, we find that this work offers valuable insights and lessons for understanding and participating in the ongoing fight for justice, equality, and dignity. Lloyd’s exploration of domination…
By: Dinka Utomo on October 20, 2023
“Beware of thinking all your own that you possess, and of living accordingly. It is a mistake that many people who have credit fall into.” -Benjamin Franklin- Assurance and anxiety stand as polar opposites. Throughout history, individuals have striven for assurance through a multitude of guarantees that offer a sense of confidence. Anxiety is…
By: Becca Hald on October 19, 2023
Two weeks before we got married, my husband and I drove to Sacramento to see his father, David. Andrew’s parents divorced when he was eight and he had not seen his dad in ten years. We went to church with David that weekend. Had we not been going to meet Andrew’s father; I likely would…
By: Jenny Steinbrenner Hale on October 19, 2023
“You may disagree on this point or that, but I invite you into the rough and tumble of ideas, guided by the call of justice.”[1] The Struggle Against Domination Author Vincent Lloyd boldly extends this invitation to readers in the preface of his book Black Dignity: The Struggle Against Domination. What follows is a multilayered…
By: Shonell Dillon on October 19, 2023
Black Dignity dig·ni·ty [ˈdiɡnədē] NOUN: the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect: similiar: stateliness, nobleness, nobility, majesty, regality a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect: similar: self-esteem, self-worth, self-respect, pride, morale The author opens with how poorly several African American heroes were treated. He noted names such as Paul Roberson and…
By: Jenny Dooley on October 19, 2023
In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, a key question that author Max Weber raised was, “How can we live under modern capitalism, which gives priority to the laws of the market over longstanding traditions, ethical values, and personal relationships?”[1] That is a very good question for us to ask ourselves today. In…
By: Todd E Henley on October 19, 2023
July 20, 1996, I was being interviewed for a Youth Pastor position. The one question I remember from the lead pastor was, “Are there any topics you tend to emphasize more than others on a consistent basis?” I felt the atmosphere in the room change after that question. No one had ever asked me that…
By: Caleb Lu on October 19, 2023
“Just take a look at the menu, that’s not authentic, it’s not real Chinese food”. I hear this from my friends (Chinese and oddly non-Chinese), I hear this from family, I hear my own voice echo this sentiment about certain Chinese restaurants. One such restaurant, China Town, is in the town my wife went to…
By: Adam Harris on October 19, 2023
Reading a book like Max Weber’s, The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, makes for a difficult blog post, at least for me. Books like these remind me of just how much I don’t know, and I still don’t think my mind is completely wrapped around everything Weber proposes. I think I would…
By: Mathieu Yuill on October 19, 2023
My introduction to Calvinism occurred in my 40s, quite by chance, through a conversation with a pastor I had become acquainted with. To my initial bewilderment, he confessed his affiliation with Calvinism, a theological doctrine. At that moment, I mistakenly believed he was referring to his affinity for the popular comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes.”…
