“Darkness Joins with Light”

Darkness joins with Light,
giving power day and night,
flowing through the Earth,
bringing all of life to birth.

Darkness joins with Light,
giving power day and night,
flowing through our souls,
showing we are strong and whole.

Words © 2019 Jann Aldredge-Clanton Music © 2019 Katie Ketchum

Traditional symbolism of “darkness” and “light” reinforces white supremacy, just as traditional male references to the Divine, such as “he,” “Lord,” and “Father,” reinforce the patriarchal pattern of the world.

We can contribute to gender equity and justice by including biblical female divine names and images, such as Sophia (Greek word for “Wisdom”), Ruah (Hebrew word for “Spirit”), El Shaddai (Hebrew for “the Breasted One”), Mother, Mother Eagle, Mother Hen.

And we can contribute to racial equity and justice by changing the traditional symbolism of darkness as evil or ominous and light as good to symbolism of both darkness and light as good. Too many hymns and Scripture readings have positive images of light and negative images of darkness. We can affirm the sacred value of people of color in the divine image by giving positive meanings to darkness in our worship language and visual imagery. Our worship songs, readings, sermons, and visual imagery can celebrate “the treasures of darkness” (Isaiah 45:3). We can praise “Holy Darkness,” “Sacred Darkness,” “Creative Darkness.”

By bringing darkness and light together in the song “Darkness Joins with Light,” I celebrate creative collaborations between womanists and feminists, between people of all races. This song images the Divine as both Darkness and Light, and illustrates people of various races joining together to work for justice and peace.

Video Credits

Performed by: Katie Ketchum

Music: Katie Ketchum

Lyrics: Jann Aldredge-Clanton

From: Hersay: Songs for Healing and Empowerment

Recorded at: Joe Hoffmann Studios, Occidental, CA

Visual Art:

Katie Ketchum: Hersay book cover & “Guadalupe” paintings

Elaine Chan-Scherer: “Sacred Feminine” painting

Stacy Boorn: photo of water, trees, and mountains & “Christ-Sophia” painting

Linda Palmstrom: “4 seasons” painting & photo of sunset

David Clanton: photo of Kamilah Hall Sharp at reproductive freedom rally

Jennifer Mantle: “Our Lady of Guadalupe” painting

Alice Heimsoth: photo of floral landscape