I first heard Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley speak at Evolving Faith conference in Minneapolis, MN - the night before my main stage talk there. I had just written the proposal for The Justice of Jesus which we were just about to start sending out to publishing houses. My first reaction a few minutes into Randy’s talk was, “Holy smokes! He is saying exactly what I want to say about the western church, colonization, and Empire in my book - but from a Turtle Island Indigenous perspective. While I was still gathering my thoughts, my literary agent, Morgan Strehlow (who was in the room) texted me with the exact same thoughts! Three years later today, I get to now teach alongside Randy Woodley as fellow faculty at St. Stephen’s University. I know students who have been deeply transformed by their classes with him. Randy Woodley is an activist, scholar, author, teacher, and wisdom keeper of mixed white and Native American heritage who speaks on justice, faith, the earth, and Indigenous realities. He is the author of numerous books, including Becoming Rooted, Journey to Eloheh, and How Western Christianity Got It Wrong. He and his wife, Edith, co-sustain Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice and Eloheh Farm & Seeds outside Portland, Oregon. In this conversation, we talk about his brand new book - How Western Christianity Got It Wrong: Replacing The God of Fear with a Spirituality of Healing. It’s a challenging read but as a Priest and ordained church leader myself, I trust us to be able to handle the discomfort that comes with the truth that Randy invites us to wrestle with: On balance, Western Christianity has historically caused way more damage than healing - and arguably continues to do so even today. And if that perspective makes you deeply uncomfortable, it’s probably because you don’t have enough relationships with people from communities who have only ever known the oppressive shadow side of Western Christianity. It’s probably even because like me, you probably benefit from the Empire-shaped status quo we live in. You don’t have to agree with everything that Randy shares as an Indigenous scholar and theologian; but I invite you to at least courageously wrestle with his different perspective, one shaped by his very different lived experiences. This is a book I’ll be recommending for years to come. Get your copy here or wherever you buy your books! And like you probably have for The Justice of Jesus, maybe even recommend this book to that one friend at church who is convinced that Western Christianity has only ever done good things. Because as Jesus teaches us - the truth will always sets us free. Web: www.randywoodley.com/new-books Instagram: @eloheheagleswings Facebook: /randywoodleyauthor Substack: Randy Woodley / https://substack.com/@rwoodley7 Join me for my next live video in the app. Get full access to Masala Chai Theology with Father Joash at joashpthomas.substack.com/subscribe
