LEAN IN TOWARD THE LIGHT
by Rev. Dr. Susan Shaw, with video by Carrie Newcomer
In this moment of chaos, uncertainty, and division the words of singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer invite us to “lean in toward the light”:
Carry nothing but what you must.
Lean in toward the Light.
Let it go, shake off the dust.
Lean in toward the Light.
Today is now, tomorrow beckons.
Lean in toward the Light.
Keep practicing resurrection.
In our deepest despair, the Light offers hope. If we choose to lean in toward the Light, then the darkness cannot overcome us, and every day we are being resurrected as we choose love, justice, and peace over hate and destruction. We lean in toward the Light when we love our neighbors, welcome the stranger, care for the earth, and work for justice. Leaning in toward the Light is an act of resistance, hope, and faith that we can create a better world for all of us.
– Susan Shaw
Susan M. Shaw is professor of Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies at Oregon State University where she is also affiliate faculty in Religious Studies. She is an ordained Southern Baptist minister who has made her church home in the United Church of Christ for the past 25 years. She has authored several books, most recently co-authoring with Grace Ji-Sun Kim, Intersectional Theology: An Introductory Guide. She is also editor of the forthcoming reference book, Women and Religion around the World. She is a regular contributor to Ms. Magazine online and Baptist News Global. She teaches courses on feminist theologies, feminism and the Bible, and gender, race, and pop culture. She also facilitates workshops around the country for curriculum and institutional transformation around issues of difference, power, and social justice.
The award-winning American singer, songwriter and author, Carrie Newcomer has produced 16 solo CDs. In 2009 and 2011 she traveled to India as a cultural ambassador, including musical performances organized by the US State Department. In 2012 she made a similar trip to Kenya on behalf of the Interfaith Hunger Initiative. With her kind permission, we are grateful to be able to include a video of her song, “Lean in Toward the Light,”
