Why Following Jesus Is Political — Osheta Moore & Jon Huckins

In this episode, Osheta and Jon share personal stories that led them to care so deeply about peace in the public square. Offering a brief overview of the history of Christian engagement in politics, and critiquing our tendency toward nationalism or apolitical withdrawal, Jon outlines a framework for engaging politics as kingdom citizens. Inviting us into her experience as a Black woman who is directly impacted by broken policies, Osheta shares why it’s important to understand the role of power, generational trauma and “rest as resistance” for those on the margins in pursuit of peace. She tells her story as a former Christian Nationalist and Apolitical Anabaptist that led her to embracing Contemplative Activism as her guide to following Jesus in politics. 

In this episode:

• Defining the terms “peace” and “politics”
• Historical overview of Christians in politics 
• Practical framework for engaging politics as kingdom citizens
• How and why BIPOC communities experience the midterms differently than dominant culture folks 
• An invitation to Contemplative Activism as the source of our peacemaking practice 
• Tangible next steps and resources for practice 

Links:

Download the free Peace & Politics Practice Guide: https://globalimmerse.org/podcast 

Contemplative Prayer with Global Immersion (Weekly on Tues, Wed and Thur at 7am PST): https://share.hsforms.com/1KMGPA1DaSxOQs9GOp3gDowc3ovn

Conflicted Allegiance: https://globalimmerse.org/public-programs/conflicted-allegiance/

Learn more about Global Immersion: https://globalimmerse.org/
Osheta Moore’s Website: http://osheta.com/
Follow Osheta’s on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oshetamoore/

Osheta Moore Bio:

Pastor, speaker, mother, wife: Osheta Moore is passionate about peacemaking, racial reconciliation, and community development in the urban core. Osheta (pronounced o-she-da, and no, it doesn’t mean anything, she says, “my dad just made it up”) serves as Pastor of Community life at Roots Covenant Church alongside her husband. Osheta is passionate about equipping the church to be everyday peacemakers. She is the author of Shalom Sistas, an invitation to women to practice the Hebraic concept of Shalom in their everyday lives, and her most recent book, Dear White Peacemakers, is a love letter to White Christians on their anti-racism peacemaking journey. She is also completing her two-year program to become a Spiritual Director so that she can help equip peacemakers with practices and prayers for the journey. Osheta has “flying in a hot-air balloon” at the top of her bucket list, and she is firmly convinced that everything is better after a nap.  Follow Osheta on Instagram @oshetamoore for encouragement to practice everyday peacemaking and invitations for White Peacemakers on their journey towards anti-racism.

Music from Epidemic Sound: We Are Giants by Silver Maple: https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/ICEht6ut6b/