What a cinematic year uplifting the underdogs, the outsiders, and those on the margins. Our finest filmmakers dignify the oppressed and elevate the overlooked (as in the instant classic, Roma). Empathy can arise from unlikely sources, from a western rodeo story directed by a woman from Beijing (The Rider) to a nuanced portrait of 13 year-old girl made by a seemingly crass YouTube comedian (Eighth Grade). Such compassion and decency rose far above our hard-headed and hard-hearted politics. Righteous anger drove so many pictures towards savage satire and social commentary (like Sorry to Bother You). Mr. Rogers demonstrated how revolutionary kindness remains in Won鈥檛 You Be My Neighbor? Enduring films like Shoplifters continue to answer the ancient question, 鈥淎m I my brother and sister鈥檚 keeper?鈥� with an emphatic, 鈥淵es.鈥�

While I haven鈥檛 seen all the highly acclaimed pictures from 2018 (including Cold War, Leave No Trace, and Burning), I have been so inspired by movies I did catch. This was the strongest year for African American stories that I have witnessed in my lifetime (including powerful films like The Hate U Give and Widows that didn鈥檛 make my Top 12). Filmmakers addressed ongoing cultural blindspots and the holes in our collective soul. Even Burden, the best unreleased film (and Sundance Audience Award Winner) embodied what we needed鈥攈ard-won hope amidst racial tension between Klan members and an African-American pastor. Burden occupied a painful spot that studios fear: too religious for mainstream audiences and too edgy for faith-based filmgoers. Will we have an opportunity to rally around this inspiring true story in 2019? We desperately need films that expand our empathy and embrace the Other.

The best actors in 2018 elevated stories we鈥檝e seen before to a new level of pathos. Rami Malek (in Bohemian Rhapsody) and Bradley Cooper (in A Star is Born) play tortured musicians who keep their demons at bay only while onstage. The gap between the joy of performing and the struggle to make peace with everyday life was so palpable in these musical biopics.

A Star is Born was also noteworthy in delivering the best song. The first hour of this old Hollywood story sizzles with romantic sparks that culminate in Lady Gaga busting out of her shell with 鈥淪hallow.鈥� What a grand moment of movie magic.

For best actress, Laura Dern in The Tale and Toni Collette in Hereditary both wade into family secrets and unaddressed trauma. Their emotions veer appropriately wild in these ghost stories rooted in horrific backstories. In stepping into Jennifer Fox鈥檚 confessional memoir, Dern gifted us with a timely #MeToo tale. Alas, since The Tale premiered on HBO rather than in theaters, Dern鈥檚 performance won鈥檛 even be considered for an Oscar. Same for Kathryn Hahn, who also deserves award consideration for her fierce and funny portrait of a woman determined to get pregnant in Private Life. Filmmaker Tamara Jenkins skewers the baby-making industry (and self-involved New Yorkers) in this Netflix comedy.

鈥淥ur finest filmmakers dignify the oppressed and elevate the overlooked.鈥�

Major shifts in finance and distribution will continue to challenge the Academy鈥檚 notion of what makes a film 鈥榝oreign鈥� or even a feature. The deep pockets of Netflix allow them to release features in theaters and on home video almost simultaneously. If Roma captures the Academy Award for Best Picture it deserves, then perhaps the old rules will go with the flow. While I cherish the big screen experience, increasingly, a movie is something we hold close, in our hearts as well as our hands. These were 12 truly moving pictures in 2018:

12. Foxtrot 鈥� A brilliant three-part exploration of life on the Israeli/Palestinian border with all the painful and absurdist realities of war we imagine. Director Samuel Maoz offered this moving rationale for his cautionary tale, 鈥淚f I criticize the place I live, I do it because I worry. I do it because I want to protect it. I do it from love.鈥�

11. Blindspotting 鈥� Oakland鈥檚 other outstanding film from 2018 (along with Black Panther and Sorry to Bother You). A frank exploration of how friendship can overcome the perils of incarceration, gentrification, and police violence from writers/actors Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal and first-time feature filmmaker Carlos L贸pez Estrada.

10. Green Book 鈥� A deeply satisfying inversion of Driving Miss Daisy as Viggo Mortensen鈥檚 tough Italian driver gets schooled by the refined musicality of Mahershala Ali during a jazz tour through the pre-Civil Rights South. Loosely based on the true story of 鈥淭ony Lip鈥� Vallelonga and pianist Don Shirley.

9. Won鈥檛 You Be My Neighbor? 鈥� The kindness and decency of Mr. Rogers can melt even the hardest hearts. No cinematic tricks are needed to convey how Fred Rogers鈥� PBS television ministry remains a bold, Christ-like, counter-cultural force even 50 years later. Bring your Kleenex鈥攖ears will be shed.

8. Sorry to Bother You 鈥� Oakland rapper Boots Riley takes on tech titans and the entire capitalist system in this savage satire that manages to connect telemarketers, code-switching, and Google鈥檚 monopolizing. Lakeith Stanfield and Tessa Thompson engage in some weird, wild, political performance art.

7. The Rider 鈥� Director Chloe Zhao chronicles what happens outside the rodeo ring in this painful and healing portrait of American manhood today. A strong, nearly silent affirmation of riding life out no matter how hard the bull or the circumstances kick.

6. Eighth Grade 鈥� Laugh until it hurts in this poignant peek into an exceptionally awkward age. Bo Burnham brings profound pathos to the plight of tween girls (and their fathers). Actor Elsie Fisher deserves some kind of special Oscar for her fearlessness.

5. BlackKklansman 鈥� A crackerjack undercover cop story and a searing exploration of how racism is passed on from generation to generation. Spike Lee connected resistance to black empowerment from the 鈥�60s up through the recent murder in Charlottesville. We sat in stunned and reverent silence afterwards.

4. If Beale Street Could Talk 鈥� The camera aches and swoons alongside the young lovers in 鈥�70s New York. Such a rich demonstration of the power of the African American intellectual tradition, from James Baldwin鈥檚 words to Nina Simone鈥檚 music through the direction of the brilliant Barry Jenkins. A timeless and heartbreaking commentary on the ongoing incarceration of black men.

3. Shoplifters 鈥� A warm, deeply humane portrait of family as well as a scathing critique of how Japan tosses aside far too many citizens. Hirokazu Kore-eda shows us how love can transcend biological ties and defy social mores. For those who have eyes to see…

2. First Reformed 鈥� Filmmaker Paul Schrader fuses the ominous dread of Taxi Driver with the spiritual longing of Diary of a Country Priest in this astonishing realization of his Transcendental Style. As a tortured pastor, Ethan Hawke ponders the vexing question, 鈥淐an God forgive us for what we鈥檝e done to this world?鈥� Austere and demanding.

1. Roma 鈥� Bracingly beautiful reminiscence of growing up in Mexico City by Alfonso Cuar贸n with four or five fully realized, instantly classic scenes. Instead of the usual childhood from the filmmaker鈥檚 perspective, we see life through the lens of a family鈥檚 live-in housekeeper, Cleo (played by Oaxacan actress Yalitza Aparicio). Cuaron merges Italian neo-realism with the long, master shots of Andrei Tarkovsky to create this utterly original cinematic event. Compassion abounds in every dreamlike frame.

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To our new cohort, welcome to 天美视频. And welcome back to such a compelling cloud of alumni ushering this next generation into our learning community. This is our 21st year. We鈥檙e growing up. Maturing. Deepening our roots. Happy Birthday to us!

I鈥檓 new here, recently uprooted. So, this is my first Convocation. If you鈥檙e nervous and uncertain about what lies ahead, welcome to my world. Who uprooted from family or friends to join us? Locals: seek them out. Show them that the Seattle freeze can be melted with a smile, a hug, a sympathetic ear.

This school was founded by a faithful few who left their respective institutions on a trek to name our traumas and forge a more integrative education. Rebels with a cause. To celebrate that journey, 20 years of twists and turns, we need your help. Faculty, staff, and grads, we want to hear your stories throughout this school year. What has inspired you, sustained you? What brings you back to Convocation today? Or to Symposia in October?

I was attracted to 天美视频鈥檚 bold commitment to Christ and to exploring our stories, even when it hurts. We may have been drawn here due to bad religion, united by our aches and pain. Years ago, a group of students founded our academic publication, , as a way of affirming and embracing the Other. We band together out of brokenness. Hopefully, we graduate as wounded healers, able to hold tensions, to stand in the gap, eager to build bridges rather than walls.

At 天美视频, we practice a third way, rooted in the relationality of the Holy Trinity. We orient ourselves around three key words, text.soul.culture, rooted in the three scriptural texts that were read by our esteemed faculty this morning. Why did our founders deem these passages as especially foundational? One of the reasons I knew this was the place for me, is that these verses have inspired and sustained me over the years. When the Board of Trustees asked what these three pericopes meant to me, these were my answers:

Psalm 19 is the starting point for every class I teach on theology and pop culture because of how it connects creation, revelation, and the Word of God. It is about epistemology鈥攖wo sources of knowledge. The first six verses of Psalm 19 elucidate how Elohim chose to communicate via creation. This is natural theology, a call to open our eyes and ears, to develop a sacred way of seeing and reading the text of life, our surroundings.

In verses 7-12, the Psalmist shifts towards the text of Scripture, Yahweh鈥檚 law. It is described as precious, golden, sweet, reviving the soul. This Psalm could be read as a progression, from general revelation in nature towards the special revelation of the Torah. But we understand the Hebrew Scriptures as advocating a both/and approach to faith rather than an either/or hierarchy. From the foundation of the world, God has been communicating to us in multiple ways, from the elusive Elohim to the fiery Yahweh, revealing a profound love and hunger for relationship.

Colossians 1 is a seminal statement on the preeminence of Christ from creation through salvation. I love the all-encompassing majesty of this vision of Jesus. Like Psalm 19, it is cosmic in scope and scale. Colossians鈥� emphasis upon Jesus as the image of the invisible God tells us so much about who we are and what love looks like. This is the root of theological anthropology, the soul of our institution. The primacy of Jesus as the glory of God in human form is the starting point for our incarnational education鈥攂eing present and available to God and to each other. We are transformed by an embodied savior overflowing with generativity. Jesus reveals our calling as the self-images of God. In other words, we are God鈥檚 selfies. So how do we reflect that? Thanks to Jesus鈥� reconciling work on the cross, we are invited to join as participants, actors in a dramatic, celestial love story.

The Apostle Paul鈥檚 proclamation at the Aeropagus in Greece鈥攁.k.a. Mars Hill鈥攊s the core text for so much cross-cultural communication. It invites us to take note of where we are, to consider our context. In Acts 17, Paul affirms how the Spirit of God has moved amongst people who may not have a particular name for God. They are seeking and searching for answers and expressing their nascent faith and longing in artistic ways. You might be in a similar place. Amidst the marketplace of ideas on Mars Hill, Paul affirms the Athenians鈥� cultural expressions. He comes alongside the conversation they鈥檙e already having, explaining the ways of God in terms they recognize. Paul affirms their lived wisdom, quoting from their poets, the top 40 of their day, and calls them to focus their worship upon the living God, revealed in Christ. He reverses the cultural hermeneutic, taking the Greeks from their philosophy into a vibrant theology. Paul is an active student of his culture and times, bringing a timeless message into a particular place. Surely, this is our mission and calling today. To demonstrate the proximity of God, the closeness of Christ, the Wild Goose that is the Spirit on the loose.

So where are we? To those who say Seattle is not very religious, I would say, 鈥淟ook around.鈥� What do you notice in this space? Pretty nice digs here at St. Mark鈥檚 Cathedral. And when you step outside, what do you see? A rigorous commitment to creation care, a heart for orcas, a love for the forests, foraging for the finest ingredients鈥攚hat respect for creation, and maybe the Creator. Seattle also overflows with art, music, creativity, and craft beer. How might we come alongside these thoughtful expressions with a faithful presence? In this artisanal city, we offer a hand-crafted education. A unique vintage and aroma for each small batch of graduates.

The true test of our education comes not just from what it does for us, but how it tastes to others. How are we contributing to our surroundings? We seek the welfare of Seattle, from the unhoused living on the streets to those trapped in Amazon鈥檚 towers. Our alumni are counseling Muslim refugees and our faculty are serving migrants up north in Mount Vernon. We also must connect the dots between systems and cultures. I recently heard from a city official, a graduate of our school, about how the arrival of lonely computer programmers from around the globe has resulted in a rise in human trafficking. And what about gentrification and displacement of longstanding citizens to more affordable environs south of the city? How do we make our education and training more accessible from Olympia to Everett, Hong Kong to Houston? An understanding of economics and demographics is essential to live out our psychological and theological callings.

鈥淎n understanding of economics and demographics is essential to live out our psychological and theological callings.鈥�

We may not agree on how to address the wicked problems confronting us in this divisive era. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, riddled with despair. Some may turn to the text, others will probe the soul, a third of us may concentrate upon the arts to process our grief. We all need profound spiritual resources to endure the world of pain that unspools before us. The education you embark upon may feel like a lonely road. But these wise teachers and faithful alums are roots you can tap into. We urge you to bring the text of life alongside the text of Scripture in order to feed your soul and enrich the culture.

As we prepare to gather around this table for the Eucharist, we are reminded how primary relationships remain, both interpersonal and communal. May we remain committed to each other as followers of Jesus, despite the differences in our worship practices or our understanding of sexuality, justice, or scripture. May 天美视频 of Theology & Psychology continue to translate robust beliefs into healthy and sustainable practices of agape in action.

We are about to recite the Nicene Creed. It arose from a time of division and confusion. It was forged via prayer, negotiation, and nuance. This Creed offers roots amidst the arguments we will continue to have about how to put our convictions into practice. Its Trinitarian structure reminds us whose we are, who we are, and where we are. By starting with God鈥檚 creative act and our calling as imago Dei, we proceed with confidence. By centering our identity in the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ, we have a tangible way out of the sin that bedevils us. Openness to the purifying and renewing work of the Spirit allows us to walk with confidence rather than fear. As we partake of the body and blood of Jesus, we can confess our shortcomings, both personal and corporate, with a humility that reminds us we are reformed and ever reforming.

Scandals within our churches and institutions offer much to repent of and lament over. At a time when misrepresentations of faith may cause us to weep and mourn, we proceed with a generous Orthodoxy that must not be co-opted for political purposes. The Nicene Creed roots us. Our mystic sweet communion unites us. May we major on these three majors鈥擟reator God, Sacrificial Savior, Sustaining Spirit. Amen.

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Crazy Rich Asians has become the most popular romantic comedy . Not since Pretty Woman () has a rom com topped the American box office for three weekends in a row. This remarkable reception is an overdue affirmation that moviegoers (and finally, maybe even Hollywood) see Asian actors and stories as significant and worthy of investment. In an era when questions of identity dominate academia and social media, Crazy Rich Asians overcame . Imagine the pressure on the cast and crew when film studios have only offered such an opportunity once a generation. Director John M. Chu and his talented cast rose to the occasion, delivering laughter, romance, and a refreshing range of representations.

Crazy Rich Asians is dedicated to upending鈥攐r at least expanding鈥攐ur understanding of how Asians live and work, play and pray. Viewers are whisked from the academic confines of NYU to the glittering streets of Singapore. What a perfect backdrop for rising Asian stars to shine, from Constance Wu (from the ABC sitcom Fresh Off the Boat), to Malaysian TV host Henry Golding and his fabulous abs of steel. As Rachel and Nick, they are gorgeous, intelligent, charming, and complex. We all want to see characters who resemble us enter into vexing dilemmas and make wise choices. Aspirational images are important for kids of all ages to see on their array of screens. The love lavished upon Crazy Rich Asians corresponds to the pent-up longing to see roles move beyond tired stereotypes. For those burdened as a 鈥榤odel minority,鈥� what relief to discover that Asian families can be petty, conniving, and maddening, too!

Crazy Rich Asians does a great job of placing the familial ties in Singapore into conflict with the individualism that the American economic and educational system promotes, offering us the rare opportunity to eavesdrop on issues of shame, honor, and individualism within a single extended family (who happen to be billionaires!). Can Chinese values in the east be married to the personal expression endemic to the west? The power plays between Rachel (Constance Wu) and Nick鈥檚 mother, Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), are a consistent delight. They demonstrate the layers of class and cultural conflicts within the Chinese diaspora. Singaporeans who aren鈥檛 Chinese have valid reasons for wondering when their stories will be told with equal affection. And what about the many cultures contained within the broader Asian context? We need far more than one Hollywood film to reflect the diversity and wonder found across 40% of our global population.

The scene that aroused my curiosity arrived early: when we drop in on a Bible study within the palatial home of the Tai family. (Kevin Kwan鈥檚 Crazy Rich trilogy began with a poem he wrote in college entitled ) Fierce matriarch Eleanor Young and her fellow aunties are reading Paul鈥檚 Letter to the Colossians while updating each other on rumors regarding Nick鈥檚 date for an upcoming family wedding. Some viewers may be surprised to see Christianity associated with wealth, power, and status in Singapore. And yet, Eleanor reads, 鈥淪o if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above鈥et your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.鈥� The discrepancy between their opulent lifestyles and these heavenly virtues is quite apparent. Asian Christians deal with many of the same tensions and temptations that American churches struggle to address鈥攈ow to follow the sacrificial way of Jesus amidst such affluence.

But in this scene, we also are being invited into a discussion of family honor. What if a New Yorker like Rachel Chu shames a clan that has fled oppression and worked diligently across the generations to forge a bright future for the Young, T鈥檚ien, and Shang clan? Eleanor wonders how American of an Asian Rachel might be. The plot explores the tension between loyalty to the family and personal pursuit of the vagaries of love.

鈥淭he plot explores the tension between loyalty to the family and personal pursuit of the vagaries of love.鈥�

Crazy Rich Asians may be the most successful romantic comedy since Pretty Woman because it expands the Cinderella formula from fantasy into genuine cultural tensions. Yes, Rachel may not be as regal in her upbringing as Nick. And perhaps her single mother couldn鈥檛 afford to dress her in the most stylish gown. We wouldn鈥檛 necessarily consider Awkwafina a fairy godmother (although her hot pink Audi R8 makes a pretty effective chariot). The extreme makeover that Oliver T鈥檚ien (the charming Nico Santos) oversees is definitely magical. But the dramatic bind that Rachel finds herself within is rooted in genuine social, economic, and cultural chasms.

Crazy Rich Asians pivots upon Eleanor鈥檚 ability to reconcile her expectations for a future daughter-in-law with Rachel鈥檚 love for Nick. While Rachel is used to passing tests and performing at lofty levels, nothing seems to satisfy Eleanor鈥檚 demands. The conflict builds to a showdown at a mahjong parlor. Their dramatic turns when Rachel discards the tile (and power) she holds in her hands, allowing Eleanor to claim a pyrrhic victory. Rachel lays down her expertise in game theory. Winning this match would mean losing Nick. Such sacrificial love cuts through Eleanor鈥檚 defenses and calls her toward those 鈥渢hings that are above鈥� that dogged her throughout the story.

Smart movies manage to imbue remarkable power into a single prop or gesture. I got misty-eyed when Eleanor ultimately makes her own engagement ring available to Nick to place on Rachel鈥檚 finger. That ring conveys the full blessing and acceptance of the Young, T鈥檚ien, and Shang clan. The tensions of marrying for love and honoring the family have been resolved. The beauty of Crazy Rich Asians is not just in the clothes, cars, and cast, but in the reconciliation that occurs between east and west, individuals and families, beliefs and practices.

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Last summer, took us inside the sunken place that paralyzes those caught in a spiral of racism. Now, BlacKkKlansman exposes the unholy marriage of white nationalism and Christianity which motivates cross burnings and lynchings, excuses police shootings, and justifies racist dog whistles. BlacKkKlansman is an enormously entertaining mix鈥攅qual parts comedy and crime drama, cinematic valentine and potent agit-pop. It is a fierce exploration of the past that we need NOW.

BlacKkKlansman was originally slated to be directed by Jordan Peele following his Oscar-nominated helming of Get Out. Instead, it became a chance for elder statesman, 61-year-old Spike Lee to show the rising young director how it is done. Lee draws upon 30 years of cinematic mastery [which includes Do the Right Thing (1989), Malcolm X (1992), and Bamboozled (2000)] to connect this strange but true 鈥�70s story to contemporary parallels. Denzel Washington鈥檚 son, John David Washington distinguishes himself as Ron Stallworth, the first African-American on the Colorado Springs police force. He stares through those who refuse to recognize his intelligence, uncovering racist cops and KKK members lurking in the Rocky Mountains.

The film works as a cracker jack police procedural about an undercover brother. Assigned to investigate Kwame Ture鈥檚 call for , Ron instead delves into the white hatred, fear, and violence which predicates the need for black pride and self-determination. Spike Lee places Ron鈥檚 self-awakening amidst a sea of beatific black faces listening to Ture鈥檚 speech at Colorado College. Ron鈥檚 efforts to come alongside the passionate leader of the Black Student Union, Patrice (played by Laura Harrier with strong echoes of Angela Davis), leads to both dramatic and romantic complications.

BlacKkKlansman also provides plenty of comedic delights. The set-up echoes Cyrano de Bergerac, as Ron talks to the KKK on the phone but obviously needs another detective to portray him in person to the Klan. Flip Zimmerman (a compelling Adam Driver) is assigned to the investigation. Ron is so effective at speaking the king鈥檚 English that he eventually dupes Grand Wizard David Duke (an almost unrecognizable Topher Grace) into fast tracking his application to join 鈥榯he organization.鈥� The same comedic exploration of code switching was employed earlier this summer in the even more subversive . While we laugh at Ron鈥檚 ability to outsmart the Klan members, we also recognize the serious danger that his partner, Flip, encounters as he is initiated into the KKK. We realize that those who become allies also end up with skin in the game. Comedy can quickly turn toward tragedy.

This delicious mix of comedy, drama, romance, and even documentary is appropriate for the mixed-up world we鈥檙e all navigating. Spike Lee鈥檚 kitchen-sink surrealism aligns with our time when satire cannot possibly contain the costly foolishness and dangerous demagoguery dominating our political discourse. It is not subtle. It is appropriately strong. BlacKkKlansman turns back the clock to expose how we got to a present where blatant racism works as an effective campaign strategy. We may be tempted to laugh at the buffoonery of David Duke and his minions, but they have infected significant sectors of our society (who will not be watching this movie). The grandiose score by Terence Blanchard underscores the gravity of the proceedings and how rooted they are in American history. This is who we were and, tragically, who we still are.

鈥淏lacKkKlansman turns back the clock to expose how we got to a present where blatant racism works as an effective campaign strategy.鈥�

BlacKkKlansman also explores how movies can motivate love or hate. It gets the swinging Soul Train 鈥�70s era so right鈥攆rom the clothing, to the hairstyles, through the groovin鈥� tunes. It revels in blaxploitation movies and heroes like Richard Roundtree in Shaft and Pam Grier as Coffy. It lovingly evokes the era it portrays. But Spike Lee also critiques the role of media鈥攕pecifically movies鈥攊n stirring up hatred. He demonstrates how the mythologizing scale of big screen spectacle in Gone With the Wind made the Old South look like the noble victim in 鈥渢he War of Northern Aggression.鈥� While the Klan members seek to cast themselves as the heroes in The Birth of a Nation, Spike Lee makes them the bug-eyed fools. In a brilliant sequence of cross cutting, Lee shows how education (and/or indoctrination) works in two distinct settings. While the Klan don hoods and take up torches, black students respond by raising a fist and marching on behalf of lynching victims. Two tribes with two distinct initiation rituals.

The understated third group explored in the film is the police force. BlacKkKlansman is a surprising affirmation of good cops doing their job. As Ron draws closer to Patrice, he also challenges her to not dismiss all officers as racists. He works inside a system that she dismisses as unredeemable. Can his undercover operation protect and serve a community that views the police with justifiable skepticism? BlacKkKlansman builds towards a nail-bitingly suspenseful climax. Will justice prevail or racism reign?

BlacKkKlansman offers devastating parallels for how we got here. It shows how the rise of black power is met by white fear, especially by those who view life as a zero-sum game. The Klan cannot imagine a world in which all prosper and live in peace. For white nationalists, 鈥淵our gain comes at my expense.鈥� 鈥淎merica First鈥� is a call to battle in which only one race can win. BlacKkKlansman traces how the dog whistles initiated in white supremacist groups led by David Duke have been mainstreamed and adopted by our current president to motivate far too much of his political base. The film arises from the same prophetic impulse that drove Martin Luther King to address 鈥渢he fierce urgency of now.鈥�

Why did BlacKkKlansman open this August weekend? Because one year ago, Heather Heyer鈥檚 blood spilled on the streets of Charlottesville called us all to . We must bemoan racism鈥攕o obvious in its ugliness. But we also must actively expose any attempt to wrap the cross in anything other than a common brokenness, an aching need for restoration that cuts across all races, cultures, languages, tribes. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, BlacKkKlansman is a bracing call to choose sides, to do the right thing, to join heroes like Ron Stallworth, to become allies like Flip Zimmerman. The twisted merging of Christian signs and symbols with white nationalism must be denounced at every juncture, especially NOW.

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That original 鈥淪ilent Night鈥� celebrated in song was not easy to secure. The Holy Mother was a pregnant teen on the move. Mary and Joseph had to deal with an oppressive, occupying government.

Jesus was born into tumult. Raised as a refugee, his parents were well acquainted with displacement, pain, and trauma.

While artisans have immortalized the scene in the stable with a golden glow, Mary and Joseph鈥檚 silent night didn鈥檛 last long. Pharaoh would soon slaughter children in an effort to hold onto his power. Jesus was born into tumult. Raised as a refugee, his parents were well acquainted with displacement, pain, and trauma. Threats to families, to children, to wellbeing were normal. Shelter and refuge were in short supply. Grief was the communal status quo.

What kind of traumas have you experienced this year? The daily headlines were so jarring from hurricanes and floods to fires. Secrets and lies surrounding sexual assault were revealed in corridors of power from Washington, DC to Hollywood. Mass murders ripped through seemingly safe spaces like concerts and churches. Our efforts to seek security could not prevent such tragedies.

Last summer, my father passed away at age 82. This fall, my oldest child went off to college at age 18. Change is a near constant. Upheaval is definitely guaranteed.

Perhaps that is why we relish this silent night. Artists, musicians, and poets have celebrated this divine moment of domestic bliss鈥攖he entry of a child into a world of strife. We anticipate the opportunity to gather around the Christmas tree. We are grateful for a sacred occasion to count our blessings and inaugurate another year in the church calendar. 聽Hallelujah 鈥搕he advent of our king is at hand.

天美视频 of Theology & Psychology has been in a season of anticipation as Dr. Keith Anderson concluded up his remarkably steadfast leadership and the search for the next president commenced. Encouraging support for new programs launching in 2018 give our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends a sense that a time of expectant preparation is heading towards unparalleled fruition.

This week, my family of four will pack up our car and head north, up the Pacific Coast, from Los Angeles, the only home we鈥檝e known in 27 years of marriage, to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.

Why leave the safety and security of a tenured professorship to pursue a calling as the third president of 天美视频? When I consider how much anxiety and insecurity bedevils us, I find myself searching for places of refuge. We turn to sanctuaries like 天美视频 that offer hope and healing. We need so many more leaders, equipped to counsel, to pastor, to create. I am truly energized by the mission communicated to me by the search committee and the Board of Trustees. 天美视频 has a beautiful story to share.

We take heart in the arrival of a baby, God in flesh, to interrupt cultural narratives of terror. 聽The Strongest became weak to show us a way forward beyond dominance and fear.

At a time when many question the efficacy of counseling or the relevance of ministry, we look to our students and alumni to defy the odds, to communicate our enduring confidence in the baby, in the manger, the harbinger of peace. Thank you for your partnership in our miraculous endeavor, the birth of a graduate school, rooted in orthodox Christian faith, at a time when religious 鈥渘ones鈥� are rising.

We take heart in the arrival of a baby, God in flesh, to interrupt cultural narratives of terror. 聽The Strongest became weak to show us a way forward beyond dominance and fear. Submission to the Father鈥檚 will became the most potent and enduring way to break cycles of abuse. This new narrative offered us all a fresh start found in confession of sin and renunciation of power plays. The gravity and grandeur of the beautiful in-breaking of a baby is ample reason to marvel, to celebrate, to gather together for a silent night, a holy night, focused upon love鈥檚 pure light. 聽鈥淔or unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.鈥濃�擫uke 2:11

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