Hearing Each Other Into Speech - Doing Theology at Pilgrim Place (Volume 6) (Paperback)

From the IntroductionIn the last moments of our final session in May 2011, at the end of Judith Favor's paper, she quoted Nelle Morton: "I'd like to hand this manuscript to you-wherever you are, whoever you are-and say, 'This is how it is with me. How is it with you?'"Nelle talked about "being heard into speech." She wrote, "Women are literally hearing one another to speech. But the speech is our speech. Through hearing and speaking, women sense the possibility of doing theology out of our own experience."During this past year we have been listening to each other and dialoguing about a variety of themes. In short papers with a collaborative style, we have looked at the conflict between Israel and Palestine, active and fulfilling retirement, experiences of worship and spirituality, and what our faith says about money. With more expanded articles members have shared experiences of growth and healing, the richness of global sharing, the connection between theology and social action, the challenge of pastoral ministry in a world of chaos, and thoughts about being a non-theologian or a hopeful realist. Discussion has been animated and enriching as papers launch us all into further speech. Contributions have been like pebbles thrown into a pond. The ripples extend around our circle and beyond, hopefully into the lives of you our readers as well.One more thing needs to be said about this year of conversation. We have been joined by several new residents of Pilgrim Place. Their papers are found here. Pilgrim Place is now on the other side of a campus development project which brought noise, dust, bulldozers, cement mixers, jack hammers and swarming tradesmen to remake a central portion of our campus. Now we enjoy the rewards, the 30 or so household of new residents, new stories, new angles of vision, new forms of thought. We welcome this new life in our midst.-Paul Kittlaus, Pat Patterson and Donna Blackstock