The fourth Word and World school focused on the social, economic, and ecclesiastical changes engendered by faith-based feminist, womanist, mujerista, and lesbian/gay/bisexual/ transgendered (LGBT) movements. By studying the theologies, visions, strategies, and artistic creations developed in and through these movements, we hoped to reclaim long-silenced voices, to foster new exchanges and insights, to cultivate our communities and coalitions, and to celebrate the spirit.

Core Courses included:

• Powers and Principalities
• Political Resistance in the Bible
• Biblical Prophets - Then and Now
• Movement History as Biography
• Multiple Oppressions - Race, Class, Gender,
• Orientation
• Arts and Social Change

School Theme Courses included:

• Women-centered Writing /Midrash on Biblical Themes
• Feminist/Womaninst/Mujerista Biblical Interpretation
• LGBT and Biblical Liberation
• The Other Side of Exodus
• Feminist Economics - Women and Labor
• Men’s Work - Gender, Sexism, and Heterosexism

School/village activities in Rochester included:

Site visits and morning plenary sessions to ground participants in local history of struggle around gender and sexuality;

Morning Bible studies and afternoon courses in Movement and Social Practices;

Facilitated small groups to “go deeper”;

Access to Spiritual Directors, Elders, Healers through Reiki and massage and a variety of other spiritual and healing practices;

Evening caucuses and Roundtables of Discussion

Daily worship opportunities from a variety of traditions;

And, a nightly bonfire for story-telling, poetry-reading, singing and s’mores.

Faculty

Yvonne Delk, United Church of Christ leader and urban minister;

Norman Gottwald, pre-eminent Hebrew Bible scholar;

Nelson Johnson, director, Beloved Community Center, labor rights activist;

Lily Mendosa, writer, teacher, and organizer on indigenous issues in the Philippines;

Irene Monroe, social activist, and public theologian;

Ched Myers, educator, activist, and biblical interpreter;

Ruby Sales, Civil Rights leader and feminist-activist theologian;

Janie Spahr, Presbyterian minister, evangelist, and founder of That All May Freely Serve.