“Season of Origins: Centering Decolonial Justice in the Liturgical Year, uses an action-based, community-engaged, qualitative case study method in partnership with five congregations, to explore how the design and implementation of a justice-centered liturgical season, the Season of Origins, can help churches repair centuries of Christian colonial violence, make reparations, and seek reconciliation. ”
Legacies of Christian colonialism, genocide, and violence have not been adequately addressed by North American churches. My project, Season of Origins: Centering Decolonial Justice in the Liturgical Year, supports decolonial healing work through the ecumenical design and implementation of a justice-centered liturgical season called the Season of Origins. Origins centers a century of archeological and biblical studies research that reshapes understandings of Israelite history and the Bible and contains significant decolonial implications for churches. Origins bridges this academic research into the church through theological and decolonizing practices. Using an action-based, community-engaged, qualitative case study method in partnership with five congregations, this project will be an exploratory study that investigates the question: How can an annual justice-centered liturgical season, focused on decolonial practices, educational opportunities, and rooted in the origins of the biblical traditions, help churches repair centuries of Christian colonial violence, make reparations, and seek reconciliation? The project builds from partnerships with five diverse churches to produce a richly textured case study that will provide data to shape future iterations of Origins across more churches.