Scripture and Justice
Advent Retreats, Lenten Programs, Youth Events, Adult Education, Sermons, Church School

Laurel Dykstra combines music, poetry, ritual and storytelling with rigorous scholarship that makes the Bible come alive. Whether she gives a ten-minute sermon or an eight-week class she will ignite your passion for justice.

What does Yahweh require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

I have a great love of the Bible and find it profoundly relevant to questions of justice today.

Invite Laurel to share her teaching with your faith community.

TESTIMONIALS:

She is gifted, brilliant, thoughtful. I wish there was a regular follow up meeting to discuss this.
Class participant “Women in Genesis”

I’ve done a lot of Bible studies but this one I’m never going to forget.
Charlie King, folk musician

Her writing is a work of love, originality and of radical discipleship.
Professor Kathleen O’Connor, Columbia Theological Seminary

Recommended Courses

Set Them Free The Other Side of Exodus (Orbis 2002), used widely as a text-book and for study groups Laurel’s book is a fresh look at the Exodus story from a first-world perspective. Her writing also appears in progressive Christian anthologies and periodicals. Look for her lectionary reflections in the December 07 to May 08 issues of Sojourners Magazine.

The Other Side of Exodus: Liberation Theology in the First World In the Tents of Abraham: Sarah and Hagar in Islam, Judaism and Christianity Queer Liberation Theology Reading the Bible with Queer Eyes The Bible and Civil Disobedience Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement At the Roadside: Prostitution in the Bible Suffer the Little Children: Jesus and Children in the Gospels Bodies, Health and Disabilities in Scripture and in the Church YHWH is a Man of War: the Violence of God in Scripture Manna and Debt: Jubilee and Sabbath Economics Reading the Bible, Reading the News Woman and Land: Eco-Feminist Theologies Taking Back Family Values: Queer Christians on the Bible and Family Word on the Street: Reading the Bible from the context of Urban Poverty Interfaith Solidarity for Christians Courses are tailored for the time constraints, age, and interests of each group and often include elements of popular and street theatre.

Celebrations

Laurel will guide your community as you create mask and puppet theatre elements and design a community celebration or liturgy. Particularly effective with intergenerational groups.

Action-Reflection Workshops

For groups working on a particular justice project, like starting a food program, planning a political action, greening the congregation, or welcoming LGBT and Queer communities.  Come together to pray, discern, study scripture and receive practical training.

Laurel has a Masters degree from Episcopal Divinity School and was awarded the Winslow Prize for Bible and Archaeology and the Alison Cheek Prize for Feminist Theology. Laurel’s background is in the Anglican tradition but she is deeply committed to ecumenical and interfaith work.

Projects and Courses of Note

Laurel has taught at and facilitated faith based events all over North America:
Exodus--West Coast Gathering on Christianity and Anarchism, Olympia WA
Prostitution in the Bible--Open Door Community, Atlanta GA
Planning Committee, Interfaith Institute for Peace Justice and Social Movements, Vancouver
Word and World Discipleship School Faculty, Tucson, Rochester, Minneapolis
Sarah and Hagar: Jewish, Christian and Muslim Women reading Our Scriptures, Vancouver School of Theology
Jubilee Week Celebration and Parade, Holden Village WA

Invite Laurel to share her teaching with your faith community.

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