1992: Reading the Signs of the Times

In case the rush of the holidays prevented you from having time to read our last issue, let me repeat that this new column is devoted to covering the groundswell of creative grassroots activity around the country - and around the world - that is inspired by the gospel and the times in which we live. In 1992, much of that activity will be focused on the kairos moment presented by the quincentenary of the "discovery" of America.

The "1992/Kairos USA" call for repentance, conversion, and action (which was published in the "1992: Rediscovering America" issue of Sojourners last October) is being widely circulated; and small groups of people are coming together around the country to reflect in light of their faith on issues raised in the context of the quincentenary, such as the current struggles of indigenous peoples in this country and in the hemisphere.

Each small group is encouraged to name the issues that confront their communities, the church, and the nation; as well as identify signs of hope and conversion. "Hope is the process of naming the demons in language that will deepen the resolve to bear witness in more tangible ways," said Ken Sehested, director of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America. "This leads to a real spiritual transformation."

This grassroots theological process will culminate in the collective writing of a Kairos USA document to be released publicly on Columbus Day, 1992. The 1992 kairos document will be used as a vehicle to challenge and encourage those in the pews and in positions of power in various denominations; several church bodies have adopted resolutions on the quincentenary, but have no concrete way for people at the congregational level to be involved.

In addition to the drafting of the kairos document, many local church groups and coalitions are coordinating a myriad of educational and cultural events, as well as opportunities for nonviolent witness. For example, the Thomas Merton Center in Pittsburgh is sponsoring a Native American film festival. The Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America is working with a network of Native American and Central American groups to set up a speakers bureau. And the Institute for Peace and Justice in St. Louis is publishing educational materials for parents and teachers.

At least two walks across the country are taking place this year - a peace pilgrimage, organized by Europeans, which leaves St. Mary's, Georgia, on February 14; and the Walk Across America for Mother Earth, which leaves New York City on February 1. Both walks will be linking Native concerns with nuclear sites, and will end at the Nevada Test Site on October 12.

The independent Deep TV network - transmitted via satellite to public, educational, and public access station - is devoting its 1992 schedule to programming on the quincentenary.

In Boston, a 1992 Kairos group is offering a monthly lecture series - "Bearers of a Dangerous Memory, Creators of a Subversive Hope, Roots of an Alternative Community." Each Saturday after the lecture, the core group of about 20 people follows up with a session of social analysis and theological reflection.

"We're looking for the signs of life and death in these times, at our own lives, and searching for a common vision for the future," said Sister Linda Besom, S.N.D., justice and peace coordinator for the Boston province of Sisters of Notre Dame. "And we're naming that vision together as a community, because it's too overwhelming to do so alone."

THE NEED FOR COMMUNITY was echoed by other local and national organizers working on the 1992/Kairos USA process and other campaigns and projects related to the quincentenary.

"We're emphasizing to local members the value of interaction in group process," said Marie Dennis Grosso, national chair of Pax Christi USA. "Even if you can get one or two people together...it may provide the seeds for a group to form."

Many reflection groups around the country are using The American Journey, a resource guide published by Pax Christi. Other national networks, such as Clergy and Laity Concerned (CALC), Witness for Peace, National Council of Churches, Baptist Peace Fellowship, and Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), have published good materials as well.

Perhaps the most significant - and hardest - goal for those of us participating in the 1992 kairos process is building relationships and offering political solidarity with Native, African-American, and other racial-ethnic communities. "In some cases, we may realize the relationships don't exist and we need to do something about it,"said Grosso.

"A lot of listening needs to go on in churches and in the white peace and justice community, rather than doing something dramatic to mark 1992," added David Schilling, program coordinator for Fellowship of Reconciliation.

National and international conferences scheduled this summer - including FOR's conference (in Colorado), the International Baptist Peace Conference (in Nicaragua), and CALC's "Fannie Lou Hamer" convention (in New York) - will feature speakers from different racial and indigenous communities as part of this listening.

The organizing around 1992 also extends to the Jewish community, which will be observing the 500th anniversary of the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in March. And there will be a multitude of vigils, alternative celebrations, and nonviolent actions come Columbus Day.

But the 1992 kairos process undoubtedly will continue beyond October 12. In fact, organizers stress this year is only the beginning of a process that we hope will strengthen our faith and help us build a community that will support us in the times ahead.