Book Club: Living in the Shadow of the Cross

What drives oppression? What does supremacy have to do with it? Where did the practice come from, what does it uphold, what upholds it?

The answers I've found so far will sound familiar: Capitalism. Patriarchy. Settler colonialism. But there's one more: Christian hegemony.  My proposition: Christian hegemony is to antisemitism, as white supremacy culture is to anti-Black racism: a centuries old culturally embedded set of values that serve to divide, is dispensed by both institutions and individuals, is wildly influential—largely unrecognized.

I'm at the start of a journey for deeper understanding and invite you to learn alongside me.

This "book club" features Paul Kivel's book Living in the Shadow of the Cross: Understanding and Resisting the Power and Privilege of Christian Hegemony. I've read it once, I'm eager to read it again, slowly, in conversation. Paul has written extensively on the topic, in accessible language, with invitation into honest and careful self reflection. He has generously agreed to join our final session.

The reading and discussion may be especially relevant for you...if you're wanting to enrich your understanding of how oppression works by a deep exploration into one specific form; if you're curious about the deeper historic influences and forces that may have led, overtime, to the practice of 'mattering', the spread of antisemitism or the genocide of Palestinians; and if you're from a cultural, ethnic, or religious background that has been affected by Christian hegemony (which in this country is everyone).

Book Club Dates:

• October 8: Introduction, Chapter 1, 2, & 3 (pages 1-59)
• October 22: Chapters 4 & 5 (pages 60-130)
• November 5: Chapters 6 & 7 (pages 131-193)
• November 19: General Discussion and Q&A with Paul!

Registration Options:

• Register for single sessions or all four
• Participate in-person at Martha's house in Columbia City or virtually over Zoom
• Purchase the book from your local bookstore, directly from Paul, or from Martha with an arrangement for pick up
• Participation in the final session requires participation in at least one other session

What You Can Expect:

• Martha will provide a facilitation structure that enables equitable participation, small group & whole group discussion, and time to allow for emergent themes, questions, and deep dives.
• Martha will be participating in the conversation as a fellow learner, not as a content provider.
• The focus will stay on what we're learning about Christian hegemony as a system and within ourselves; this won't be an opportunity for debating, convincing, or advising others.
• You may experience big feelings by exploring this topic. During sessions, there won't be time or space for deep processing of these feelings, so be prepared with your own after-session supports. Martha is available for coaching outside sessions. 
• Book club sessions will not be recorded.

Note: After covering minimal costs, collected funds will go to The Sameer Project, a donations based aid initiative led by Palestinians, working to supply emergency shelter and aid to displaced families in Gaza. 

More about Martha at www.thetenderwork.com