“Sing of Peace, Holy Peace” Christmas Carol Video
Wars are raging in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere in our world. In our country and around the world violence against women, mass shootings, and daily gun violence destroy lives. How can we sing of peace?
This holy season invites us to sing of a world of peace. We can sing our visions of peace into reality. We can envision an end to violence in nations, in schools, on city streets, in homes. We can sing of the change our hearts long for. We can sing of peace and justice for all people and all creation.
Through the Holy Darkness of this season, we celebrate the coming of Christ-Sophia to change our world. We celebrate the birth of peace, hope, love, and joy.
Sing of peace, holy peace;
sing of all gifts released.
As we work for peace on earth,
new creation comes to birth;
Christ-Sophia is born;
Christ-Sophia is born.
Sing of peace, holy peace.
When will all violence cease?
Through our justice work each day,
Wisdom comes to show the way;
Christ-Sophia is born;
Christ-Sophia is born.
Sing of peace, holy peace;
hope and joy now increase.
Through our works of love each day,
Holy Wisdom comes to stay;
Christ-Sophia is born;
Christ-Sophia is born.
Words © Jann Aldredge-Clanton
Christ-Sophia is being re-birthed into our world. Christ-Sophia was present before all time and continues to break into our world with promises of peace, hope, and healing for all people and all creation. “Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all Her paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17).
“Christ-Sophia” is a biblical symbol of the Divine, making equal connections among genders, races, and religious traditions, thus laying a foundation for communities based on partnership instead of domination. Christ-Sophia brings change to church and society by providing a foundation for gender and racial equality.
Sophia, the Greek word for Wisdom, is a biblical female divine image that opens new possibilities for justice, peace, and new life. New Testament writers link Christ to Wisdom, a female symbol of God in the Hebrew Scriptures. Wisdom (Hokmah in Hebrew) symbolizes creative, redemptive, and healing power. In their efforts to describe this same power in Christ, the apostle Paul and other New Testament writers draw from the picture of Wisdom. The apostle Paul refers to Christ as the “power of God and the Wisdom (Sophia) of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24), and states that Christ “became for us Wisdom (Sophia) from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). The book of Proverbs describes Wisdom as the “way,” the “life,” and the “path” (4:11, 13, 26). The Gospel of John refers to Christ as “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Bringing this biblical connection of Christ and Sophia to our worship can inspire partnerships that contribute to peace and justice in our world. Christ-Sophia inspires continual new birth. Christ-Sophia empowers us to make the Gospel vision of the new creation a reality.
Sing of peace and justice and new life! Sing and celebrate the birth of Christ-Sophia.
Video Credits
Performed by: Spiral Muse (formerly Devi Vaani)—Alison Newvine, Dionne Kohler, Lana Dalberg, and Kathleen Neville-Fritz—from album Sing of Peace, recorded at Joe Hoffmann Studios, Occidental, CA
Lyrics: Jann Aldredge-Clanton
Visual Art:
Katie Ketchum: Sing of Peace album cover
Stacy Boorn: 3 Black Madonna & 2 Christ-Sophia paintings
Elaine Chan-Scherer: “Guadalupe” & 2 untitled Sacred Feminine paintings
Photo of Spiral Muse
Photo of Loaves & Fish Ministry, The Gathering, a Womanist Church
Alice Heimsoth: photo of in the sanctuary of Ebenezer/herchurch Lutheran
Really nice work.