• For Faculty, Boards, and Trustees of Quaker Schools

    I wrote this list specifically for staff, faculty, and trustees of Quaker schools. I expect that more will be added to it overtime. We have a lot of learning and teaching to do if we are going to bring up a base level knowledge and appreciation of the principles and practices of the Quaker tradition…

  • Systems of Death and the Subversive Seed (John 12:24)

    Watercolor from John Jay Alvaro Watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/arGhrrsFTxc The Subversive SeedThis week, we saw the shooting of 8 individuals, 6 were Asian-Americans reminding us again of the ongoing and increased racism Asian-Americans and other communities of color have faced in the last year. Maybe unsurprisingly at this point: it was done by a man…

  • Building a Participatory Pedagogy

    Given my love for teaching, and my forced time off this winter semester, a time I would typically be teaching, and the various teaching opportunities I have with Camas Friends, I have been reflecting a lot on what it means for me to be an educator. I want to share some of the key building…

  • Convergent Model of Renewal

    This list comes from Wess’ book on renewal within traditions” Convergent Model of Renewal (book). The process of renewal  is initiated when Apprentices seek to overcome the confrontations, incoherences and break down of schemata that arise within their tradition. In order to bring about convergent renewal they must put in dialogue the original texts and…

  • Powerful Practices

    Taken from the work of James Wm. McClendon, Jr. and Nancey Murphy, powerful practices suggests that one should not be too optimistic about practices but should understand that practices are themselves corruptible and throughout time go through a series of “decline as well as progress.” (fn) Practices can be taken over and infiltrated by the…