Word and World: A People's School

Word and World is a week long institute for faith based activists. The next school is in rochester, ny from june 12 - 19 on gender, sexuality and struggles for inclusion and justice.

Word and World: A People's School
June 12-19 - Nazareth College
Gender and Sexuality: Struggles fo Inclusion and Justice

Word and World is a "popular school," an ecumenical and inclusive moveable institute offering radical education and training, worship and celebration, and community-building for Christian disciples involved in the work of social transformation.

Word and World Schools are designed by local/national collaboratives to nourish faith-based movements by building capacity for critical social and cultural analysis, committed biblical literacy, and faithful action and witness.

As we seek to bridge the gulfs between "seminary, sanctuary, and the streets," we pray to renew the church as a movement of struggle and to renew the movement of struggle as church.

The fourth Word and World school will focus on the social, economic, and ecclesiastical changes engendered by faith-based feminist, womanist, mujerista, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgendered (LGBT) movements. By studying the theologies, visions, strategies, and artistic creations developed in and through these movements, we hope to reclaim long-silenced voices, to foster new exchanges and insights, to cultivate our communities and coalitions, and to celebrate the spirit.

Core Courses will include:

Powers and Principalities
Political Resistance in the Bible
Biblical Prophets - Then and Now
Movement History as Biography
Multiple Oppressions - Race, Class, Gender, Orientation
Arts and Social Change

School Theme Courses will include:
Women-centered Writing /Midrash on Biblical Themes
Feminist/Womaninst/Mujerista Biblical Interpretation
LGBT and Biblical Liberation
The Other Side of Exodus
Feminist Economics - Women and Labor
Men’s Work - Gender, Sexism, and Heterosexism

School/village activities in Rochester will include:

Site visits and morning plenary sessions to ground participants in local history of struggle around gender and sexuality;
Morning Bible studies and afternoon courses in Movement and Social Practices;
Facilitated small groups to “go deeper”;
Access to Spiritual Directors, Elders, Healers through Reiki and massage and a variety of other spiritual and healing practices;
Evening caucuses and Roundtables of Discussion
Daily worship opportunities from a variety of traditions;
And, a nightly bonfire for story-telling, poetry-reading, singing and s’mores

Cost is $600 for the week (including housing) and space is limited. For application information and more on Word and World, please visit www.wordandworld.org

Current Local Sponsors include: Dignity/Integrity of Rochester, Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School, Third Presbyterian Church, Lake Avenue Baptist Church, Downtown United Presbyterian Church, Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley, Greater Rochester Community of Churches, Monroe Foundation of Covenant United Methodist Church, Nazareth College Campus Ministry, Spiritus Christi Church and Open Arms Metropolitan Community Church.

To become a sponsor or to make a donation to the school, please contact michaelcboucher@netscape.net or at 325-5260.