Caroling for Justice and Peace

Words matter. Recent events in our country show the power of words to incite prejudice and hatred. Words of love, justice, and peace have greater power. Words we sing have the greatest power to bring transformation because the music embeds the words in our memories.

This is the season of carols. We can contribute to justice and peace on earth by singing carols with words that include all genders and races. Theologian Mary Daly wrote, “If God is male, then the male is God.” I would add, “If God is white male, then the white male is God.” When we include female names of Deity and diverse races in our divine imagery, then all genders and races are held sacred.

Below is an Advent gift of several inclusive carols. Happy caroling for justice and peace!

O Holy Darkness, Loving Womb

Recording artist Shannon Kincaid sings “O Holy Darkness, Loving Womb,” with pictures from various artists, to the tune of “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” This song symbolizes darkness as creative bounty and beauty, and connects darkness to the Sacred Feminine, empowering us to end injustice and heal the wounds of Earth. “O Holy Darkness, Loving Womb” contributes to gender justice by including female names and images of the Divine. This carol also contributes to racial justice by changing the traditional symbolism of darkness as evil or ominous to darkness as creative bounty and beauty, affirming the sacred value of people of color through these positive images.

O Holy Darkness, loving Womb, who nurtures and creates,

sustain us through the longest night with dreams of open gates.

We move inside to mystery that in our center dwells,

where streams of richest beauty flow from sacred, living wells.

 

Creative Darkness, closest Friend, you whisper in the night;

you calm our fears as unknown paths surprise us with new sight.

We marvel at your bounty, your gifts so full and free,

unfolding as you waken us to new reality.

 

O Holy Night of deepest bliss, we celebrate your power;

infuse us with your energy that brings our seeds to flower.

The voice out of the darkness excites our warmest zeal

to bring together dark and light, true holiness reveal.

 

O come to us, Sophia; your image, black and fair,

stirs us to end injustice and the wounds of earth repair.

The treasures of your darkness and riches of your grace

inspire us to fulfill our call, our sacredness embrace.

 

Words  © Jann Aldredge-Clanton, from Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians (Eakin Press, 2006)

Performed by: Shannon Kincaid

Visual Artists:

Stacy Boorn: “Mystery,” “Smokey Sky,” “Mother & Child,” “Dancing after Work at ‘Speak I’m Listening,’” “Streams,” “Sunset,” “Feather Dance,” “Sunrise Crete,” “Holy Night,” “Addis Ababa Market Vendors,” “Seeds to Flower,” and “LightDarkness” © Stacy Boorn. Used with permission http://stacy.awegallery.com/;   http://www.awegallery.com/index.php?page=artists&aid=1

David Clanton: “Garden for Good or Evil” © David M. Clanton. Used with permission.  http://www.davidclanton.com/;  http://david-clanton.artistwebsites.com/

Mirta Toledo: “Sophia” © 2003 Mirta Toledo, http://www.afrolatinart.com/#/mirta-         toledo/4532396991; https://www.jannaldredgeclanton.com/books.php#book3

Shannon Kincaid: “Oprah & Child”

Elizabeth Zedaran: “Flow”

Instrumentalists:

http://www.thecrawfishband.com/

Keyboard: Ron DiIulio

Guitar: Danny Hubbard

Bass & Percussion: Jerry Hancock

Music Producer/Arranger: Ron DiIulio

Midwife Divine Now Calls Us

One of the female divine names and images in the Bible is that of Midwife. “Yet it was you who took me from the womb; you kept me safe on my mother’s breast. On you I was cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me, you have been my God” (Psalm 22:9-10).  Another image of the Divine Midwife comes in Isaiah 66:9: “’Shall I open the womb and not deliver?’ says God; ‘shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?’ says your God.” The biblical image of the Divine Midwife provides an intimate picture of Divine care for us. This carol contributes to gender and racial justice by affirming the sacred value of females through naming Deity as female and by affirming the sacred value of people of color through the image of “holy darkness.”

This carol invites us to join with the Divine Midwife in bringing new life to birth within ourselves and throughout the world.

Words  © Jann Aldredge-Clanton, from Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians (Eakin Press, 2006). Contact for permissions.

Midwife Divine now calls us forth from our safest place,

beckoning always forward out into unknown space.

She sings a birthing song

to calm our fears and help us

through days so hard and long.

 

Midwife Divine inspires us through holy darkness deep,

moving through realms of mystery to wake all dreams that sleep.

Her loving plan unfolds

as tenderly She guides us

through pathways new and bold.

 

O may we join Her labor to bring new life to birth;

crowned in Her ancient splendor, we claim our sacred worth.

Our Midwife shows the way

to worlds of love and beauty,

more than our words can say.

 

Words  © Jann Aldredge-Clanton, from Inclusive Hymns for Liberating Christians (Eakin Press, 2006). For permissions, contact: www.jannaldredgeclanton.com. For additional inclusive music for all ages, see: https://www.jannaldredgeclanton.com/music.php

Performed by: Chancel Choir of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church, Raleigh, North Carolina (http://www.pullen.org/). Conductor: Rev. Larry E. Schultz

Visual Artists:

Stacy Boorn: “Her-Galaxy” © Stacy Boorn. Used with permission. http://stacy.awegallery.com/;  http://www.awegallery.com/index.php?page=artists&aid=1

Mary Plaster: “Sophia, Divine Wisdom” © 2003 Mary Plaster. Used with permission.  http://www.maryplaster.com/mary.html

Alice Heimsoth: photo of drummers and dancers, Ebenezer/herchurch Lutheran, San Francisco (http://www.herchurch.org/) © Alice Heimsoth. Used with permission. http://www.aliceheimsoth.com/Other/Faith-and-Feminisn-Conference/20163387_3JtgVM#%21i=1593178442&k=ZFmSvRF

David Clanton: photo of Pullen Memorial Baptist Church Choir, Orchestra, & Congregation © David M. Clanton. Used with permission.  http://www.davidclanton.com/;  http://david-clanton.artistwebsites.com/

Recorded by: Ward Productions, Pinehurst, North Carolina