On Opposing Presbyterian Divestment
Yesterday a committee within the Presbyterian Church (USA) recommended that the denomination officially divest (retract all financial investments) in three companies that profit from the conflict between Israel and Palestine. Today a similar overture was proposed, debated, and failed in the Chicago Presbytery. This sort of denominational movement has caused much strife between Presbyterian and [...]
Meaning Making: An Inter-generational Collaboration
While interfaith dialogue attempts to increase understanding between groups of people from different traditions, too often the work itself occurs in silos. Barriers exist between people of different ethnic and cultural traditions, generations, socioeconomic classes, gender, and education backgrounds between the most open minded conversation partners. Part of the work of State of Formation is [...]
An Open Letter to My Muslim Neighbors in Chicago
This past Sunday, I gathered with many Muslim, Jewish and Christian neighbors for an interfaith service commemorating the victims of 9/11 at Fourth Presbyterian in Chicago. The entire service was beautiful but there was one moment that I found especially compelling: a short reflection by Zaher Sahloul, the chairperson of the Council of Islamic Organizations [...]
The State of Formation 2011 Call for Contributors
Greetings, We are excited to announce that we have started our annual call for nominations and self- nominations for Contributing Scholars for our online forum, State of Formation. State of Formation is a community conversation between young leaders in formation. Together, a cohort of seminarians, rabbinical students, graduate students and the like – the future [...]
Book of choice: “Whose Gospel” by Rev. Dr. James Forbes
James Forbes is one of those people who could easily have written a New York Times bestseller every year for the last ten or fifteen years. It would not have been hard for him, either: his prose, prophetic vision and voice have easily established him as one of the greatest Christian preachers of the modern [...]
Is LGBTQ Ordination a Change or a Challenge for the Presbyterian Church (USA)?
Last week, the Presbyterian Church (USA) came out as a denomination that affirmed the ordination of LGBTQ clergy. For me, and many who share my convictions, this was a joyous moment within the life of our church. Normally, I avoid gatherings of large people on weeknights with the same irrational vigor I use to get [...]
Can Ancient Texts Inform Social Practice? A Biblical Argument for Worker Justice
Can the laws and guidelines described in ancient texts within my religious tradition guide my social practices? If so, do I try to follow these guidelines without consideration for cultural differentiations between an ancient and modern contexts or do I attempt to discern the spirit of what is taking place? I am working on an [...]
On Empowering Women through Art in South Sudan
“With art there is no barrier.” These words concluded a brief interview I had with Milcah Lalam, a woman from South Sudan who provides psychosocial rehabilitation for communities within this newly formed country. Milcah works through RECONCILE International, an organization that is attempting to pick up the pieces in Sudan after the recent civil war, [...]
Valuing Disability: Memories of my Brother
During the Executive Committee meeting for State of Formation, the following speculation was offered: “We need to incorporate those who are disabled and we must remember do this.” I was deeply grateful for this comment and it sparked several questions for me: How is the voice and presence of those who are disabled valued in [...]
Interfaith Dialogue, Structures of Discrimination and Call
In response to Chris Stedman’s thoughtful article where he claimed “…a call is something you can’t not do” and concluded by asking, “What is your call?” I firmly believe my call is to make interfaith organizing more inclusive of people with diverse racial identities. I see far too few people of color seated at the [...]
Honna Eichler
Honna is the Managing Director at State of Formation. She has a Master of Divinity from McCormick Theological Seminary and works in Chicago, IL.
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Contributing Scholars
Andy CookAndy Cook, 24, has a longstanding interest in religion, spirituality, and civic engagement. Growing up in the Conservative Jewish tradition, Andy learned from an early age the importance of asking questions, knowing why one believes what they do, and placing importance on the work of improving our world.
Karen Leslie HernandezI am a Theologian with a focus on Christian-Muslim Understanding, as well as religious fundamentalism and extremism. I write, teach and lecture on Islam, Christian-Muslim relations worldwide (past and present), Jesus in the Qur'an, Al Qaeda, Islamophobia, and theological responses to terrorism. I have a Master of Sacred Theology in Religion and Conflict Transformation from Boston University School of Theology, '11; a Master of Theological Research in Christian-Muslim Understanding from Andover Newton Theological School, '07; and a BA in Peace and Justice Studies with a concentration in Islam from Wellesley College, '05. I've published with the Women's United Nations Report Network, Onislam, The American Muslim, and The Journal of Inter-Religious Dialogue. Along with Palestine/Israel, Turkey, and Spain, my experiential/research work includes traveling to and living in India three times looking at Christian-Muslim-Hindu relations, as well as Muslim women's lives in the slums of Mumbai. I also had the privilege to serve on three panels at the Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne, Australia in 2009. From what I can tell, I am the only Theologian that is a woman, a Latina, and a Catholic/United Methodist, doing this type of work in the United States. In my spare time, I spend time with my daughter when she is home from college, practice yoga, read, love the theatre, and run with scissors whenever possible. I am also Associate Director of Communications with State of Formation.
Rhee-Soo LeeRhee-Soo is currently a Master of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School, focusing on Christianity. She is a recent graduate of Wesleyan University, and prior to attending HDS, she completed a year-long fellowship with the Episcopal Service Corps in Boston.