For The Love With Jen Hatmaker Podcast podcast

December 25, 2024 Hope Breaks Through the Hard Stuff: Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker on Advent

Settle in, listeners. Jen and Amy have invited Greek and New Testament professor and scholar, Reverend Dr. Angela N. Parker to the show to reflect on the Advent season with some words of hope and liberation. She took our butts to seminary, opening our eyes to what it looks like when you examine the scripture through the lens of womanist theology and the experiences of Black women. But as Dr. Parker tells us, “I’ve lived long enough to know that God will bring me through but sometimes it’s hard and sometimes it hurts. But even after the hurt, the tender spots get more resilient.”

There’s so much to unpack in this one.

Jen and Amy discuss their favorite Christmas movies and debate whether classics like Gremlins and Die Hard fit the genre

Dr. Parker explains how liberation is a collective journey, not an individual one – and how everyone, including white men, can need it.

We learn how understanding the historical context of scripture is vital for its interpretation.

And we also talk about some of the holiday hullabaloo we’re ready to Bless and Release this season.

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Thought-provoking Quotes:

“If I’m liberated, I don’t want to be liberated alone.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“We don’t want to think about the early church being enslavers.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“If our biblical text is wrestling with the idea of empire from Genesis to Revelation, we are wrestling with empire as well.” –– Dr. Angela N. Parker

“When we work as a collective, we actually do better to transform society.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“The tree at the end of Revelation 21 has the leaves for the healing of all the “Ethnae”, for all the ethnicities, for all the nations. That’s what John the Revelator sees in his final vision.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“In my own work, I talk about how I try to even get whiteness out of me. Even as an African American woman born and raised in these United States, there are elements of whiteness that are in me, on me and a part of me. That’s just what we swim in.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“Hope breaks forth in the midst of terror, fear, and overwhelm. It’s normal to have [those feelings]. Don’t trick yourself into ignoring them. It’s best for us to acknowledge what is going on around us but to remember that hope breaks through.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

“I’ve lived long enough to know that God will bring me through but sometimes it’s still hard and sometimes it still hurts. But even after the hurt, the tender spots get more resilient.” – Dr. Angela N. Parker

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Orange Theory - https://www.orangetheory.com/en-us

James Hal Cone - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Cone

Jacquelyn Grant - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacquelyn_Grant

Delores Williams - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delores_S._Williams

Katie Cannon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katie_Cannon

Alice Walker - https://alicewalkersgarden.com/

Rev. Dr. Margaret Aymer - https://www.austinseminary.edu/cf_directory/dirprofile.cfm?p=2576&id=4459

Sisters in the Wilderness: The Challenge of Womanist God by Delores Williams - https://amzn.to/4eV3Nce

If God Still Breathes, Why Can't I?: Black Lives Matter and Biblical Authority by Rev. Dr. Angela N. Parker - https://amzn.to/3YkO9Qo

Guest’s Links:

Angela’s website - https://theology.mercer.edu/faculty-and-staff/parker/