Dar Vanderbeck began divinity school at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley in 2020/21. Which, right, is a bit on the nose but it felt like a good time to go hard in asking what it all means. These are some of her reflections.
Beyond the twin pandemics of racism and COVID-19, these writings were inspired by a course called Rebellious Mourning taught by Professor Sharon Fennema. Our course description is below.
An homage to Cindy Milstein’s collection of essays by the same title, this course explores the collective power of grief to open up spaces of healing, resistance, restoration, empathy, and solidarity. Using film, fiction, poetry, and art, we will delve into the heart of the constellation of questions and concerns that are part of theodicy and the ways in which they are embodied in every aspect of grief, suffering, death and dying, from rituals to medical care and end-of-life decisions. This course will examine suffering, death and dying both individually and systemically, addressing the socio-cultural impacts of death and pointing toward the ways in which mourning can serve as a catalyst to social change. This is course is a Practice of Ministry Elective and is designed for students pursuing vocations in chaplaincy, congregational ministry, and social change agencies. Evaluation will be based on a portfolio created over the course of the semester, including items like a personal theological statement about theodicy, a lament ritual, an end-of-life plan, etc.