FINAL REVIEW
Week 6: “Neighbor” By Ben Daniel
Offsite: Pastor Traback at the River Community Garden
Offsite #2: Almaz at Step Up Silicon Valley * Is Rawls veil of ignorance the equivalent of Ellacuria’s preferential option for the poor? * Recford and Daniel: * Both Protestant ministers (biblical texts as source or vehicle for framing and thinking through issues) * Both deliberate and conscious of challenges of relating Biblical faith to Social issues * Housing and immigration are public policy issues * Daniel devotes a chapter to this question, using “Caesar vs. God” image from New Testament * Micah Shows up in both books (see below) * Differences? * Is immigration more of a “hot button” issue than housing? * If so, do we find different kinds of rhetoric? * Phil comment in class: Does Reckford focus more on system or structures or root causes (next slide) and Daniel more on individuals? * If so, do we have different kinds of solidarity in these two approaches? * Root Causes (“cycle”) of Poverty (structural analysis) (52-53) * Rhetorical device? * Cites 5 of them * “social capital” (56-58) is a rich illustration * Solidarity involves “learning” and “sensitivity” and “collaboration” (60) * Corresponding interventions/Solutions * E.g. “not charity but capital” (Clarence Jordan, cited 54) * 62-63: justice = level playing field (Sen. M. Fenwick, grandmother) * Housing is one of several interventions, but foundational (59) * Note structural components (infrastructure) of this intervention * E.g. ONE Campaign (http://www.one.org/us/) : 1% of US budget against extreme poverty * Immigration as “spiritual pilgrimage” * Religion/Public Square (ch.4) * “Do I believe in the moral teaching of my faith more than I believe in the constructs of humankind, nationalism, and borders?” (xi) * Theme throughout * E.g. p. 11 * Chapter 1: FR. Toribio’s Ghost * Xviii Title from Gospel: Luke 10: Good Samaritan: Who is my neighbor? * Compare MLK and Road to Jericho * Daniel spin * Not charity * Not public policy/political activism * Friendship: the person from outside who saves and blesses us …(xix). Personal relationship…but note also suggestion that stranger does something for us (despite ourselves?), not just vice versa. * Do you agree that this biblical story applies to Immigration? * Policy Question: 5 changes reflect his “progressive” stance xix * Major claim Daniel makes: Immigration may be about economics and politics…but it “is also a religious phenomenon” What does that mean? Do you agree? * Faith-based language for journey: Immigrants = spiritual travelers, pilgrims * Popular piety: Fr. Toribio, a RC saint (preferential option for the poor? ) “Might God look with favor upon the prayers of those who seek to enter the United States without permission?” (9) * Los Originales de San Juan (Fresno) song about F. Toribio * Chapter 2: Immigration as Biblical Journey * Daniel: a life “walking alongside immigrants” * E.g. May 2006 Rally in San Jose * Biblical angles: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible * Nb Bible itself is written and edited by immigrants, and is about exile, refugees, strangers in a strange land (16) * Genesis: series of immigration stories * Cain (land) vs. Abel (nomad) Cain’s curse= redemption: to be a wanderer… * Noah Babel: cultural diversity, restorative migration * Abraham in Canaan * Joseph and human trafficking! * Moses and Exodus * Israel: Settlement – Migration dynamic * Israel is called to remember this heritage and treat the “alien” as a “citizen” (20) * Biblical Angles: New Testament * Birth narratives (Christmas story): introduce Jesus through the lens of migration, displacement, refugees (20) * Paul as immigrant Christians called to an immigrant spiritual life. * Revelations: “open border policy” * Chapter 3: Immigration in Church History * Chapter 4: Rendering to Caesar and God * Chapter 5: Politics, Zoe Lofgren * Chapter 6: Politics, Judge Brack * Micah In Hebrew Bible (Xn Old Testament) * Chapter 7: Frontera de Cristo * Chapter 8: Water in the Desert * Chapter 9: Lilinana and the New Sanctuary Movement * Chapter 10: Good Escuelas…places of/for Solidarity? * Conclusion: Silicon Valley and Globalization angle? * Daniel’s Neighborhood in East San Jose = future of America, microcosm of future demographic (148) * It is changing: SJ Valley: hispanic/latino and Asian * Cain/Abel: settled, sedentary are disposed to fear the migrant, demonize the other * His vision: neighborhood that is a sanctuary for those threatened by USA immigration policy * Note, his next book was about Islam in America (2013) *
Week 7: Creating a Habitat for Humanity
Offsite: None * Our interests * Not exclusively Reckford as an architect; more H4H as an Organization. * A lever to trigger change in individual volunteers AND in low income communities * Religious Grounding: similar to Boyle’s Homeboy Industry? Or more “religion” language * P. 10, “holy ground….God’s unconditional love for us” * H4H is grounded in Evangelical Christianity. See “Mission” on website which is more or less repeated in closing pp. 105-107. * But also uses non-religious language—e.g. in discussion of Rawl’s theory of justice (66-67) * Reckford’s interests * “My goal is to ignite in people a greater sense of purpose—to help people personally experience how others live—to see the face of extreme poverty.” (32) * Introduction: * Book is answer to, Why are you here? (1, 6) * Structure of Book * Micah 6: 6-8 * Mercy/Compassion * Justice * Humility * Six Core principles (web vision, more or less) * Part One: Mercy * Mercy: * Result of personal involvement (13) * Local, particular, not universal, abstract * Relationships (Stories [narratives]) (15) * Kolvenbach on contact? * feeling and action (11) * Discontent “holy discontent” (15-16, 18) * Includes compulsion to act (“For the Christian….[h]ow we respond—what we choose to do—is optional, but the call to conscience and obedience [context, scripture] is not an option.” [19]) * Kolvenbach on service of faith AND promotion of justice. * Biblical warrants for action (tapestry of passages) * P. 18-19 on care for the poor * P. 12 on Good Samaritan * Compare MLK’s take on this scriptural image below * MERCY (Global) * Partnerships include USA/local Habitat, homeowner, and local community organizations on the ground * CEOSS (22; 34-35) * 24-26 Change * Structural question: House for (Aid to) individual community, social cohesion, civic capacity or infrastructure. “The building of communities is the essence of what we do at Habitat for Humanity.” (28) * Examples: stories of * Christian-Muslim cooperation, * transformation of shotgun shacks in Jackson, MI * Reconciliation: India/Pakistan, Northern Ireland (31-32) * Is the focus on community a way to get at the structural dimensions of poverty? * extend individual “outrageous generosity” regional, global, universal * 26: speculation: would such a shift to universal application requires transcendent lever (religious underpinning, as in Koinonia Farm [31])? * MERCY (Sustainable) * H/H is 4 decades old. How? Why does it work? * Core principles * And * Innovation, adaptability * E.g. micro-financing * Building in Stages * Save and Build * Back to big picture: * Book’s goal is to, “ignite in people a greater sense of purpose—to help people personally experience how others live—to see the face of extreme poverty.” (32) * Is his rhetorical strategy succeeding? * JUSTICE * P. 37 quote, MLK, “network of mutuality” * TNH quoted this too! * Letter from a Birmingham Jail opening page. * Pay attention to Reckford’s “rhetorical devices”: who he cites to illustrate or support his points. Like MLK, a variety of “authorities.” * Hope is part of justice? * “H4H is about building hope.” (41) * Job reference (good text for Katrina?) p. 41 * Hope is triggered by “acts of compassion” (43) * BUT… “partnership” is crucial (here, vs. “playing god”)_ * Dignity, lasting independence * MLK makes similar point in World House Essay * Seems close to Boyle, no? * Poverty and Housing * Analysis (cf. Brackley on “real”) * “affordability index” * “broken social contract” * Role of housing in human dignity (Malawi example [46]—sidebar: Ed Schaeffer, SCU’s Math Dept, http://math.scu.edu/~eschaefe/malawi.html * 2004-05 disasters brought this dimension to the forefront * “advocacy and catalysts with other partners”(48) * Is this analysis an example of the structural analysis of the “Road to Jericho” MLK suggested we should add to the usual way of reading the Good Samaritan story? * JUSTICE AND ANALYSIS UNDERSTOOD * Root Causes (“cycle”) of Poverty (structural analysis) (52-53) * Rhetorical device? * Cites 5 of them * “social capital” (56-58) is a rich illustration * Solidarity involves “learning” and “sensitivity” and “collaboration” (60) * Corresponding interventions/Solutions * E.g. “not charity but capital” (Clarence Jordan, cited 54) * 62-63: justice = level playing field (Sen. M. Fenwick, grandmother) * Housing is one of several interventions, but foundational (59) * Note structural components (infrastructure) of this intervention * E.g. ONE Campaign (http://www.one.org/us/) : 1% of US budget against extreme poverty * Biblical Model of Justice: Matt 25 (62,69) (H4H connect to faith community) or Micah (69) seems to correlate with Philosophic Model of Justice: Rawls (66-67) * So “Higher Standard” (63) w/ Bono commenting on Africa--“makes a fool of our idea of justice.” (64)— and invoking Abrahamic Religion Scriptures: “God…is with the poor.” * Cf Brackley, et al on Preferential Option for the Poor * leads into… CORRELATES W/ Rawl’s “veil of ignorance” theory of justice (66-67) * Religion source or Rhetoric? * the attributes of MLK’s “beloved community” [67])= Solidarity? E.g. heart, spirit, hope, goodwill, transcend boundaries… * Rawls: variation on Ellacuria’s preferential option for the poor? * Close: return to analysis: combating poverty requires more than philosophy and vision Harvard Center for Housing Studies * but even their report sounds like Bono rhetoric ( 68) * Directs us to ch. 6 (161) * Decides to close with Povertyusa.org statistics. Why? * Koinona Farms: Intl communities of kinship? Resistance? * Part 3: Humility * Attitude towards Partners: Micah 6:6-8 (76, 2) * Witness vs. convert…but * 7-77 story of Siberian woman: evangelization * 80 Micah “lawsuit”: worship is key to relationship w/ God and w/ one another; inner disposition of humility needs outward expression * Humility (empower not limit) relationship w/ partners who are “needy.” * “permeate throughout any faithful ministry” (83) * Clarence Jordan (Koinonia Farms) * 79: “eyes with which to see the glory of god”: is solidarity a grace-filled disposition…we cultivate in a community? * 1st hand experiences break heart (85; cf Brackley on El Salvador) * “radical acts of mercy” (85) * Audacious goal, but humility about our ability to achieve it (85-86) * Orgs and Individuals that partner w/ H4H are transformed * 81-83 orgs: h4h is “vehicle” (87) for church to be involved with people outside their group. * 85-86: “transformational moments when we see glimpses of the life that God intends for us.” * 86: H4H “puts a crack in the wall that economic wealth and security builds.” * “theology of the hammer” (89) “more than houses” (90) * H4h biblical principles (e.g. tithing) * “transformational ministry” (89) * Interfaith cooperation: citizens of the world * 2005: international h4h re-cast self to be humbler: spoke vs. hub; more of a catalyst. * Ch. 6: your calling? * SCU Vocation language? * Koinona Farms suggests community is important part of discernment process. * Compare Boyle on Communities of Kinship (as resistance). * Implications for thinking about solidarity? * E.g. what institutions support community necessary to cultivate disposition toward solidarity? * CONCLUSION: p. 105: If Habitat is an example of solidarity, then does the meaning of Solidarity include something like “ministry”?

Week 8: Dorothy Day “Loaves and Fishes”
Offsite: Fumi and Catholic Worker House Casa de Clara * CH. 8: (Tyranny of) Success—Was Boyle accurate? * Use Boyle’s Stand with vs. Stand for idea (repeated here on 172) but introduced in ch. On Compassion, pp. 72, 75. * Apply/unpack with his debate or disagreement with Dorothy Day on p. 173 * Day: don’t minister to slaves; devise strategies to abolish slavery * Boyle: accompany, kinship— “solidarize” our way out of injustices or suffering like slavery. * 177 is an important part of the answer * Connect to Preferential Option for Poor: Solidarity or kinship w/ “outcast” puts me in touch with God (I suffer like God suffers) * “Communities of Résistance”: * Margins are erased by powers that be WHEN they are moved by example, when they see kinship, that the outcast is valued. * Jesus did this. * See MLK, “Loving Your Enemies”: this is only viable way to change the structures of society. * N.B. “slow work” (179; ch. 5) * Cole’s Intro and Day’s Preface * Jesus hung out on margins vs. center of power * Day and Maurin: “fools for Christ” * Catholic and Intellectual * Communitarian vs. Nationalism, etc. * Writing Style, vocation as writer * Analytical * Iconoclastic * Self-criticism * Religious (intimacy) Christian Pilgrim * What kind of “organization”? (see 34) * Works of mercy, spiritual works of mercy * “Revolutionary headquarters” * Compare to Boyle’s Homeboy Industries? * Chapter 1: Knock * Peter Maurin’s Knock * Depression exciting, social change * Impressions of Maurin? * Day * vocation, “troubadour for Christ”…”folly of the cross” * “primacy of the spiritual”: Practice of Poverty, lived it… * What would you do? * Easy Essay on Self Government * odd critique of State as solution given new deal? * 3 interests ( 3 chapters) * newspaper for the clarification of thought (ch. 2), * houses of hospitality (ch. 3), and * farming communes (ch. 4) * Faith in people, faith in ideas * Vs. “sense of futility” of young people? * Play 1971 interview, first half * Chapter 2: Newspaper/Clarification of Thought * “God was more on the side of the hungry” = PoP. * Characters: “Dolan and Egan” * Maurin * educated Day, “good intellectual food” * Catholic social teaching and Communists * Hard to listen to (Hugh the artist) * Troubadour of God * Simplicity of Aloysha * “everyone’s paper is no one’s paper” (17, 20) * ? 21-22: not radical enough. See text for detaisl * “Utopian, Christian communism” * “A Case for Utopia” * Ideas matter—clarification of thought, round table discussions * “Fire the Bosses”? * “To work without wages”? * P. 44: by mid-1930’s circulation over 100,000 * Chapter 3: Houses of Hospitality * “…to give the rich an opportunity to serve the poor.” (29) * Niche = “undeserving poor” (34, 42, 48) * Personal vs. State or organized responsibility? (34) * Mr. Breen (the hostile racist)? See ch. 4., Mr. O’Connell * Love. See text for details. * “centers of mutual help in a spirit of brotherhood” * Chapter 4: Communitarian Farms * Workers vs. Scholars * Dignity of the worker * But humility pride * Scholar * But no judgment Silence * Peter Maurin teaching in the rows * Communitarian = “new synthesis (47-48 examples) * Young intellectual’s concerns about “unworthy destitute” (48) * CW’s vision: “not community of saints….(documentary)…group…principles…freedom and what it implied”? Do you get this? Relate to “Radical” in ch. 2 on newspaper. * 54-55: slow development, like that of a child. (cf. Boyle, slow work) * M. O’Connell, “Friend of the Family” * How portray the poor, write about them, “without failing in charity”? * Smug piety… need other to fail so that I may intervene and thereby grow in grace. * Why do we comfort folks? * “folly of the cross” Christian community known by love for each other. * “prune” natural love? (60) become supernatural love (61) * Scapegoat: God gave CW Mr. O’Connell to teach them lessons in love * * Workers vs. Scholars * Dignity of the worker * But humility pride * Scholar * But no judgment Silence * Peter Maurin teaching in the rows * Communitarian = “new synthesis (47-48 examples) * Young intellectual’s concerns about “unworthy destitute” (48) * CW’s vision: “not community of saints….(documentary)…group…principles…freedom and what it implied”? Do you get this? Relate to “Radical” in ch. 2 on newspaper. * 54-55: slow development, like that of a child. (cf. Boyle, slow work) * M. O’Connell, “Friend of the Family” * How portray the poor, write about them, “without failing in charity”? * Smug piety… need other to fail so that I may intervene and thereby grow in grace. * Why do we comfort folks? * “folly of the cross” Christian community known by love for each other. * “prune” natural love? (60) become supernatural love (61) * Scapegoat: God gave CW Mr. O’Connell to teach them lessons in love * Chapter 5: The War Years * “Benefactors of the undeserving poor.” (67) * Example of a “client”: Merchant Marine Seamen * Loss of dignity (63), “degraded” (64) * Meet immediate needs w/out probing “regain a measure of self respect” (64-65) * Compare Boyle on unconditional love as antidote to shame * End of 1930’s “bourgeoning growth” is coming to an end due to loss of men for the War. * Draft * “C.O. camps” * Chapter 6: As private college costs rise, the poor pay more * “Poverty is a strange and elusive thing. I have tired to write about it, its joys and its sorrows, for thirty years now; and I could probably write about it for another thirty without conveying what I feel about it as well as I would like. I condemn poverty and I advocate it; poverty is simple and complex at once; it is a social phenomenon and a personal matter. Poverty is an elusive thing, and a paradoxical one.” (71) * “Poverty has many faces.” (71) * “The message we have been given comes from the cross.” (74) * 1st quote: meaning? Her vocation as a writer (ch. 7, p. 75)? A person? Your questions? * 2nd quote: illustrations today? role in her argument? * E.g. remedies or approaches she rejects. * E.g. her observation about credit and the need for alternatives (73-74) or class struggle, and her use of the word “sin” (74) Ch. 7 Felica * 3rd quote: meaning? * Chapter 7: Poverty and Precarity…The Insulted nad Injured * “That is why I write.” (75) * Felicia: what is her story? What is—in this chapter, or in book? * “It’s expensive to be poor.” (80) * Country vs. City (81)? * * Chapter 8: Poverty and Precarity…A Baby is Alwways Born * Ch. 6 Discussion * Poverty * Inflicted vs. Voluntary * Victim vs. Champion of… * Destitution vs. Francis’ Lady Poverty * “Kissing the Leper” (82, 83) * What do you make of her interest in “voluntary poverty”? * Blood money, system tied to war machine * Precarity (87) * Brother’s keeper: what I do not need belongs to poor (92) * * * Chapter 19: Our Day * “Day after day we accept our failure, but we accept it because of our knowledge of the victory of the Cross.” (215) * Have we figured out what she means by the Cross? * *