It is an honor to be joining you this week to talk about wound stories and doubt. First, let me introduce myself. I grew up in central Ohio (Sunbury, to be exact) and attended The Ohio State University for undergrad. After a short stint as a preschool teacher, I enrolled at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio earning a Masters in Theological Studies, and then I went south–to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where I earned a PhD in English and Comparative Literature. As a scholar, I investigate the ways religion shapes society (specifically the field of medicine). I also love to think about how religion intersects with social justice and how we teach children about religion. I now live in Oakland, CA with my wife and two beautiful babies.
Growing up, my grandfather was a pastor for a small, conservative rural church. But I spent most of my adolescence and young adult years attending a big non-denominational church in Columbus. I experienced religious abuse/trauma because of my sexuality, and spent several years feeling like God really didn’t like me. But then I went to seminary, and I got to question the theology I’d grown up with and the actions of the church–and I discovered that God really is love and love cannot be separated from justice.
In February 2020, Rev. Kate Smith and I were talking a lot about our personal healing journeys and the various ways folks responded to our wound stories. We started to imagine creating a resource for folks who wanted to respond better to stories of rejection, abuse, loss, and pain. Early on, Kate articulated five unhelpful responses that seemed to be common in her experience. Overtime, we kept expanding that list. Our conversations made us more attuned to the dynamics of sharing wound stories and caring for wounded people. We witnessed (in our own lives and for those around us) the transformative power of helpful responses–which Kate and I have started to call “wound care.” Last year, these conversations finally crystallized into the idea of a workshop, a place where we could discuss, reflect, and practice listening and responding to stories of harm.
In addition to the workshop, I will be preaching on John 20:19-29 as part of the Stations of the Resurrection series. When I first looked over the passage, I honestly panicked a little. How could I preach on “doubt” when I have so many questions and doubts myself? In the passage, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” I felt like my belief, which is often more of a wisp or a wish–rather than some kind of confident certainty, might not be the kind of belief Jesus had in mind. After a long chat with Kate, I decided I did have something to say about doubt. Come listen on Sunday.
I am so excited to do this work with y’all.
Warmly,
Dr. Jennifer Edwell