Who gave it to me:
Bought for me at Jubilee Conference
Summary:
This is a stunning book that walks through the book of Lamentations and the importance of lamenting in the church especially in regard to racial injustice. It is beautifully written with Biblical backing on topics I have never heard uttered in a sanctuary.
Lesson Learned:
The (especially white) church of America has the narrative of celebration and exceptionalism. This means elevating the stories of success and diminishing those of failure and hurt. It is imperative for a raw and real relationship with God for me (and the church) to learn how to lament to him when undoubtedly hard times will come.
Favorite Quotes:
"Christian communities arising from celebration do not want their lives changed, because their lives are in a good place. Tax rates should remain low. Home prices and stocks should continue to rise unabated, while interest rates should remain low to borrow more money to feed a lifestyle to which they have become accustomed. Lament recognizes the struggles of life and cries out for justice against existing injustices. The status quo is not to be celebrated but instead must be challenged."
"Lamentations recognizes that hope can arise in the midst of suffering because of God's faithfulness. Celebration can arise out of suffering, but lament is a necessary expression of that suffering. In a triumphalist world, Lamentations makes no sense. The theology of celebration will always be more attractive than the theology of suffering. but if lament were offered to a suffering world, the hope that is woven into lament offers the possibility of genuine reconciliation."
"To move from the place of lament to the possibility of restoration, confession needs to be a part of the equation. Confession cannot be skipped in lament in order to get to the quick and easy solutions. Lamentations 3 reminds us that confession should be offered not only on an individual level but also on a corporate level. The reality of corporate sin requires the power of corporate confession."
"Lament allows for the fullness of emotions to be expressed. Worship should not operate with divergent goals, moving the community toward either celebration or suffering. They are not part of a zero-sum equation."
(I did a better job of marking as I went along quotes I loved, so I thought I'd put them all in)
Recommendation: 1000/10
Time to read: 3 weeks
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