episode 45: Tobin Miller Shearer
Ash Wednesday, continued…
(Before we get too far, my mic died. I sound terrible. Sorry for hurting your ears -Craig)
Following up on last week’s conversation regarding Lent and Ash Wednesday, we get to premiere a wonderful song just in time for your Ash Wednesday time of worship. From Katie and Jacob Eckeberger, better known as, My Anchor Holds, is their newest song, Ashes.
We get to listen to this new song with our guest: scholar, professor, and consultant, Tobin Miller Shearer of the University of Montana (go Griz!), Professor of History; Director of African-American Studies.
“We love Ash Wednesday and all it stands for. Communion is also one of the most meaningful sacraments for us. A couple years ago during Lent, we decided to write a song that highlights the beauty in these elemental, tangible acts of worship that more deeply connect us to one another and to God. It's a way of reminding us that our communities are healed from brokenness, and we are often more connected with God when we keep things simple. Bread, wine, water, earth - these basics will always help us find our way back.” Katie Eckeberger of My Anchor Holds
From Ashes:
“We need to grasp something that’s real/the tangible life-giving God, who is here/Bread to sink our teeth into/and wine to wind us down/water to cleanse all we’ve been through/ ashes to keep us on solid ground/By the light of day/this or promise/so we’ll watch and wait/Disconnected, who we fail to find, God own presence, in another’s eyes/We all cause some pain, we all bear the wounds, of the walls we built, help us break them through….From dust we came and to dust we will return, this flesh and bone be ground and holy earth”
Follow My Anchor Holds: on Facebook and Instagram, and at http://www.myanchorholds.net/
Find My Anchor Holds also on Spotify, CD Baby, and iTunes.
Tobin Miller Shearer
While Tobin links the events of January 6th and insurrection to the foundations of white supremacy, all is not lost. Positively – hopefully – Tobin shares his beliefs that the deep practices and infrastructure of the church are available to transform people to become anti-racist and to dismantle white supremacy. Commitment to baptismal vows, spiritual formation, and Christian education are available tools the church has to engage in this work.
Follow and check out Tobin’s work and writing:
http://tobinmillershearer.blogspot.com
And more in scholarly academic journals.
