By Kwok Pui Lan
Last March, the Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) organized a webinar entitled “Christian Witness in a Changing Political Landscape,” featuring four alums from different denominations who graduated from various decades. It was heartwarming to hear that our alums witnessed Christ at the U.S.-Mexican border, fought for LGBTQ+ rights, combated racism, and protested in the corridors of power. They spoke of how EDS had prepared them to speak truth to power and stand in solidarity with the marginalized, both domestically and globally.
EDS has a tradition of educating leaders who challenge the myth of American exceptionalism, the genocide of Indigenous people, slavery, and the lingering colonial legacy. Our alums, friends, and supporters can be found throughout the world, witnessing the good news and forming and educating communities. At this critical time when American imperialism is on the rise, with a devastating impact on the world, it is critical to share what we are doing with the wider public.
We thought of starting an EDS blog to collect and publish stories and reflections from the EDS community, strengthening one another, sharing strategies, and nurturing hope. This is not the first time that EDS has had a blog. In January 2011, I helped start the EDS blog 99 Brattle, recognizing that we needed to use new media and technologies to reach people and could no longer rely on print materials alone. The blog continued till February 2014 and published 113 posts from faculty, students, alums, trustees, and friends in the wider EDS community.