Happy Friday! I’m a little late to the party on this, but I wanted to squeeze in my ‘top ten’ list for 2023 articles that helped me see grace in practice, law/gospel implications, and the law-in-life. My year-end list is followed by an end of the week round up of where I noticed grace intersect with daily life and pop culture. Thanks for reading…and feel free to drop a comment or share some of your favorite articles, anecdotes or related in the comment section. Enjoy!
Where I saw grace in 2023…
I’m an avid PBS Newshour viewer – it’s part of my evening ritual. This piece from Rainesford Stauffer, a freelance writer and author of “All the Gold Stars: Reimagining Ambition and the Ways We Strive,” challenges the way in which we think about ambition and burnout – particularly among young adults. Check out her Brief But Spectacular take on this pertinent topic.
The following might as well be the premise of Sister Act 3. Where is Whoopi Goldberg when we need her? In the small town of Gower, Missouri, several pilgrims flocked to witness the exhumed corpse of Sister Wilhelmena Lancaster whose remains have not shown any signs of decay since she died in 2019. This is indeed what it looks like when your life is so sanctified that even death can’t corrupt you. The preservation of Sister Lancaster’s body gives new meaning to the psalmist’s words, ‘you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.‘
Speaking of remarkable women of faith, this story profiles a Milwaukee woman who took the Great Commission to heart when two teenagers attempted to carjack her in a grocery store parking lot. Known as ‘Miss Edith’, the local evangelist literally preached the gospel to her assailants as they jabbed a gun into her side and attempted to drive off with her vehicle. The power of God’s word evidently took effect as the thieves abandoned their mission and took off running. Edith indicated she hopes they return so they can finish their impromptu church service. She only regrets that they left right before altar call…
Staying on the church theme, here’s a humorous anecdote about a man who felt convicted when his wife showed him a picture of himself asleep in the middle of Sunday service! Jamie Wooldridge of Southgate, Texas celebrated the milestone of losing 100 pounds due to being confronted with what he said was an unflattering image of himself. Indeed, when the mirror of God’s law (via a cell phone pic in this instance), shows us ourselves, we should feel compunction…however, it is the function of the gospel, not the law to inspire us to change…I suppose this was the rare exception…
Did you know Kenan Thompson, the longest running SNL cast member to date nearly quit the show due to immense insecurity and self consciousness? Thompson released a memoir last year in which he details the depressive feelings that ensued when he found himself stumbling over his lines and failing to attain adequate air time in SNL sketches. Having reached a low point, he decided to confide in fellow cast member, Maya Rudolph, whose words functioned like grace imparting life and restoring Kenan’s confidence. According to Thompson, Maya assured him,
“‘It was a no-brainer,’ she said. ‘We could tell you were ready and you’re adorable. We all said, ‘Obviously, it’s Kenan,’”
“I fully freaked out hearing that. I literally had a seat next to one of the most talented performers I had ever seen. Her pedigree was legendary,” he gushes. “To be complimented by someone you admire was humbling and enlightening. I wasn’t just a kid laughing at his own jokes in front of the mirror. I’d been validated.”
Validation via an external word…sounds familiar. I’m so thankful for Maya’s demonstration of grace in practice…otherwise, the world would have missed out on Black Jeopardy and the inimitable, Sump’n Claus…
I’m not a follower of GloRilla’s music, but I’ve heard her name and know enough about her to recognize she’s a Gen Z hip hop artist. She recently shared in an interview that despite her gritty and graphic music (reflective of the Memphis culture in which she was raised), she actually grew up in a strict, conservative Christian home in which most holidays and secular entertainment were forbidden. Due to the legalistic environment of her upbringing, she and her brother resorted to stealing Lil Wayne and Drake CD’s…and of course, her rap career eventually emerged in spite of the heavy atmosphere of ‘law’ in the home. The letter of the law indeed produces what it prohibits…it can never create what it commands…Still though, I was fascinated by how her parents despite proscribing worldliness in the home, continue to show unconditional support of Glo’s musical career. I suppose the words of James are apt, “mercy triumphs over judgment…” Consider the following excerpt from the interview:
GloRilla was born Gloria Hallelujah Woods in the summer of 1999 in Frayser, a neighborhood that leans on I-40 and the Mississippi River on Memphis’ north side. She was named after her grandmother. Though she can’t remember the origin story of her middle name, she was born into a large and conservative Christian family, the eighth of 10 kids, and acknowledges that her religious background may have played a significant role. Growing up, her family didn’t practice Christmas traditions like gift-giving because they believed they were derived from a Pagan custom. But even with her religious upbringing, music was always present. Her parents often played gospel artists like Kirk Franklin and Donnie McClurkin in the house.
Despite her parents’ religious beliefs, the hardcore rapper says they have always backed her career choice…
A People magazine article reported on Laura Trevelyan, a former BBC journalist who left a lucrative career to atone for the sins of her ancestors. Having discovered that her family had benefited from the slave trade in Grenada, she decided to join a movement dedicated to providing reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean. Joined by her family members, she attended a ceremony in which the entire family publicly apologized for the crimes of their forebears. According to Trevelyan,
“What I’ve learned is it’s the acknowledgment that’s important. People have said this to me in the Caribbean, ‘It’s not the money you gave Laura, it’s the support you’re giving to our cause that means so much more,’” she says.
“I think that it was meaningful. Sir Hilary Beckles was right when he said, ‘We’ve had just a deafening silence from the descendants of slave owners, and if you come forward, it will set an example and it will create momentum.’ I think that’s what has had some kind of an impact. I’m glad.”
“That’s in some way atoning for the sins of our ancestors. If we could try to propel a movement towards acknowledgment and repair for the damage of slavery, then that feels appropriate,”
That Trevelyan offers an apology signifies a step in the right direction and gets closer to the truth of what we are considering when we ponder this complex issue. There isn’t in fact a price tag you can put on the human suffering entire families endured and communities continue to suffer today. What was lost was more than economical…It’s interesting how this gesture is framed in terms of atonement for sin, especially in our secular age in which such consideration is considered antiquated and passé. Nonetheless, the conscience bears witness to the universally ingrained lust to self justify – even for the crimes of those in our familial lineage. I’m reminded of Paul who in mentioning his pedigree does so to shame the self righteousness that he once trusted in. While Trevelyan’s motives are beyond knowing, her action her signals an attempt to right a societal wrong she is willing to acknowledge. While such an endeavor could be in one sense, a good step toward creating a more just society, she can no more atone for the sin of her ancestors than I can recover the lost legacies of mine…
Who knew there was such a thing as death technopreneurship? According to this article from Vox, we humans have found a way to literally capitalize on humanity’s greatest enemy and greatest fear. The justification of death itself is inherent in these new technologies in which the imitative processes of AI now seek to eradicate grief itself. But the consequences have been deadly as some individuals have come to depend on tech as a means of bypassing the normal grieving process which is healthy for us. Did not Jesus tell us those who mourn are blessed? Did not Christ himself experience grief (cf. Isaiah 53)? The article shows the limitation of tech becoming our end all, be all…Tech can’t replace humans…tech can’t replace our need for one another or our need for God… God is ‘accessed’ so to speak via our griefs, for as the psalmist reminds us, “He is near the broken hearted…”
Former Disney employee Taron Sargsyan celebrates the second chance the company gave him after he spent $24,000 on their corporate credit card to support his addiction. After reaching a critical breaking point, he decided to confess his indiscretions to his employer after which he received an unexpected opportunity to pay back what he had stolen. After squandering the second chance Disney gave him, the former software engineer was yet inspired to enter rehab as a last resort (no pun intended). What he has to say about his experience is amazing…
Something was different about this rehab experience. When I walked into this rehab facility, my imagination convinced me I was seeing important people from my childhood. In group therapy, the facilitator looked like the first teacher I had in America after emigrating from Armenia. Memories from my childhood flooded back when I saw her. Hearing her soothing voice teleported my mind to fourth grade. I felt like a child again. She reminded me of my innocence — of the person I was before my addiction. My chin quivered. I had somehow forgotten the fact that I was not born addicted to drugs.
In this group session, people read stories that deeply resonated with me. The stories felt like they were written just for me. I couldn’t stop crying. I felt like the main character in my own Disney movie.
These people in my rehab reminded me of my humanity. Of course, Disney had nothing to do with my rehab stay. But the company’s compassion in not kicking me to the curb at one of the lowest points made me believe in my ability to change for the first time.
Though, we are indeed born sinners (cf. Psalm 51:5), I can truly appreciate Sargsyan’s assessment that reminds me of a Bryan Stevenson quote, “Each person is more than the worst thing they’ve ever done.” Furthermore, the gospel offers us something infinitely greater and more freeing than needing to be the main character in our own Disney movie per se…we get to lose ourselves in God’s grand narrative where the central protagonist is His Son, in whom we have been given redemption, the forgiveness of our sins…
I will close out the 2023 year-end wrap up with this moving piece from Business Insider about an illness known as Williams Syndrome which is a rare genetic disorder that incidentally “causes extreme friendliness” among those who possess it. An affliction that results in the fruits of generosity, kindness, consideration, and graciousness sounds akin to the way the mystery of grace works in the kingdom of God. Hayley Cuccinello, senior finance reporter at Business Insider focuses her news story primarily on Tobi Akbas, a young man who lives in Garrison, New York where he seeks to reconcile the challenges of living with Williams Syndrome amidst the struggle of finding community among likeminded individuals as well as those whom the article refers to as being ‘neurotypical’. Tobi’s interests and endeavors range from his role as an ambassador for a local volunteer firefighting squad, to his leadership position as an unpaid karate instructor, to his online motivational posts featuring ‘Tobi Tips’. I was most impressed by how what appears to be a debilitating disease facilitates the kind of character and attributes that would make for a much more beneficial world and community. Or as Cuccinelo notes,
It is hard to spend time with people who have Williams syndrome and not wish that everyone were a little less cynical and showed a little more care for one another.
Now for 2024 stuff!
Check out the law/gospel highlights from this week!
Shedding New Light on Roman Christianity
A team of archeologists recently discovered the ruins of a fourth century pagan temple in the town of Spello, about 70 miles from Rome, Italy. An excavation team led by Douglas Boin, a researcher at Saint Louis University uncovered the relic which provides new insight into the shift in the Roman world from pagan worship to the preponderance of Christianity. An article from Newsweek notes how this discovery challenges our presuppositions about the manner in which society changed from its pluralistic worship of pagan deities to the Christian worship initially instituted by Constantine, Rome’s first Christian emperor. According to Boin,
“It shows the continuities between the classical pagan world and early Christian Roman world that often get blurred out or written out of the sweeping historical narratives,”…
Boin said the discovery indicates how societal changes in Roman times took place very slowly. Even though Constantine was the first emperor to convert to Christianity, it did not become the official religion until around 70 years later. In this period, those who worshipped pagan gods gradually converted to Christianity.
“This building, in a very radical way on its own, shows us the staying power of the pagan traditions that had been on the ground for centuries prior to the rise of Christianity. We are on the cusp of giving people a very visible piece of evidence that really upends the neat and tidy ways people think about big moments of cultural change.”
“It shows us that the path from paganism to Christianity was filled with all sorts of strange detours and odd cultural mixing, not all of which would be remembered fondly by authorities in the later church. Just as pagan Romans blended patriotism, imperial ideology, and religion, Christian Romans in Constantine’s time did the same.”
Scorsese Returns to Jesus…
Director Martin Scorsese, well known for classics like Mean Streets, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and The Departed returns his focus to one of his favorite themes: religion and spirituality. He has reportedly completed a script which he wrote with Kent Jones for a film depicting the life of Jesus – yet set in a modern day context. While such a precedent for this approach was set by films like Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar in the 70’s, this will constitute Scorsese’s second approach at retelling the greatest story ever told via his own unique lens and sensibilities (I am referring of course to 1988’s controversial Last Temptation of Christ). While the veteran director once aspired to attain the priesthood, it is evident that his films function in an intermediary capacity, reflecting his desire to reconcile questions and matters faith against the banal and gritty realities of not only the New York streets, but life in this mortal coil in general. Despite their dark and at times profane content, Scorsese films retain a spiritual transcendence that pervades the narrative, while often depicting protagonists in the midst of some kind of existential crisis. The upcoming Jesus film (which begins shooting this year) is based on the book by A Life of Jesus by writer Shūsaku Endō (incidentally the same author whose work inspired 2016’s Silence). For an apt distillation of how Scorsese’s faith informs his filmmaking, I recommend this article that was originally published by the New York Times. And of course, this more recent piece in the LA Times is worth your time as well…
Sho Baraka Weighs in on Katt Williams
Christian Hip Hop artist, Sho Baraka weighed in on the ongoing Katt Williams controversy that has been flooding my algorithm (and perhaps yours too?) this week and last. I appreciated Baraka’s wit, wisdom, grace, and humility as he attempted not so much a critical commentary, but rather a redemptive lens by which to view the current fallout that has persisted as Williams appeared on the podcast, Club Shay Shay and expounded his thoughts on various comedians and artists in the entertainment industry. I especially loved the Richard Pryor quote at the onset of Baraka’s analysis, “this may be profane, but it’s profound”. Also, Sho’s assessment of comedy as a tool to disarm our defenses while giving us truth resonates with the nature of how humor and grace cooperate to give us levity and relief (consider the Mockingbird Law & Gospel book for more insight on this). You can check Sho Baraka’s full video below!
The Christian Era of Lil Nas X?
Seemingly just in time for the release of the parodic Biblical epic, Book of Clarence, rapper Lil Nas X is set to drop a new single entitled J Christ. In a recent Business Insider article, X defended his provocative decision to utilize a Biblical theme in an artistic decision that has previously been employed by the likes of Nas, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar. On his social media page, he made it known, he was dedicating the record to “the Man who had the greatest comeback of all time!” Skepticism of the Houston rapper’s sincerity abounds among both fans and detractors, yet this article may indicate some measure of a genuine desire to take up his cross and follow the Nazarene…God only knows. I am reminded of Paul’s words in Philippians in which he notes,
…some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
Philippians 1:15-18
I am also reminded of Little Richard’s spiritual struggle, aptly depicted in 2023’s Little Richard I Am Everything1 in which the renowned architect of rock and roll internally wrestled with the conflict between fleshly, worldly desires and an inclination to devote himself to Christ. At one point in his life, he had apparently rejected his rock music career for a stint in Bible college. This aspect of his spiritual journey lasted but a brief season and he would continue to vacillate between the realm of hedonistic excess and spiritual devotion. However, by the close of his life, there appeared to remain a final dedication to the Lord and a surrender born out of a lifelong battle against what St Paul referred to as ‘this body of death’. Perhaps, Lil Nas X will eventually likewise find rest in the sufficiency of Christ. Who knows? God is able…
The Law-in-life: Crossing All My Teas…
Lex Semper Accusat…The law never stops accusing us…even in the most mundane facets of daily life. My box of tea promises me a perfect cup if I follow the directions. Unfortunately though, As Paul notes in Romans, the very law that is supposed to bring life in the end actually brings death…Well, at least this is also a socially conscious box of tea – you will notice is indeed certified as being committed to advancing social and environmental justice. With every sip, I can know I am fulfilling the righteous requirement, ‘to act justly and love mercy…’ Thank God though for a better cup that actually gives righteousness…one that indeed ‘runneth over’ and abounds with grace…
- learning about Little Richard’s spiritual journey has inspired me to begin making my way through Confessions of St. Augustine…stay tuned for potential excerpts in future posts… ↩︎
Law, Grace, & Daily Living 
Great work Jason! I am always intrigued and encouraged by your beautiful way of threading grace throughout all that we see happening daily. Thank you for sharing your perspective. It’s refreshing and challenging.
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Thanks Andre! I always appreciate your support and encouragement!
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