The Creation Spirituality Lineage Calling All Social and Environmental Activists, Mystic Explorers, Justice Makers, Cosmic Thinkers, Earth Keepers Daily Meditations with Matthew Fox Watch for Matthew Fox's video meditation -- now appearing every Monday! |
|
Dred
Scott & SCOTUS Spreading Dread Across the Land 03/05/2024 |
I spoke four DMs ago about “interrupting” our DM on courage and sacrifice of spiritual activists such as Alexei Navalny and Sister Dot and Frederick Douglas and Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman.
|
Why such an interruption? In order to speak to the current decision by SCOTUS to take up the ex-president’s total immunity case -- and do so only in late April -- and thereby deliberately delay a trial on the January 6 effort to erase an American presidential election by a
current presidential candidate. |
Judge Michael Luttig and Andrew Weissmann join Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House on the Supreme Court’s decision to hear the former White House tenant’s claim to presidential immunity on April 22. MSNBC |
But really there is less of an interruption than we imagine. In 1857, 167 years ago, there was another Supreme Court that yielded to powerful forces of evil, the very evil of slavery that Douglass and Truth and Tubman addressed head-on. The Dred Scott Decision came about in
1857. Notice the infamous wording: Dred Scott Decision.
Dred / Dread. Scott / SCOTUS. A Dreadful Decision. Last week’s dreaded SCOTUS decision, which I propose in yesterday’s DM will live in infamy, is upon us. The decision is “dreadful” and spreads DREAD across the land as far as we can see. |
Former Associate Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer examines Dredd Scott as the worst SCOTUS ruling, possibly decided politically rather than judicially. Brookings Institution | Of course, “Dred Scott” in 1857 was the name of a
freed slave. I shared his story in yesterday’s video. His story is America’s of the 19th century and carries up to today. The Supreme Court decision, denying that slaves had rights as citizens or as human beings, had major impact on |
the explosion of the
Civil War that engulfed America three years later. The Civil War, where over 700,000 American lives were sacrificed, but which did result in the Emancipation Proclamation and later the amendments 13, 14 and 15 to the Constitution supposedly guaranteeing full rights of citizenship to ex-slaves (and preventing insurrectionists from ever
taking power in the U.S. government). “Supposedly” because before long, the KKK and lynchings and Jim Crow laws substituted for the promises made and progress gained by the Civil War and amendments gained to the constitution to enshrine them. |
So, in a real sense we have not “interrupted” our reflections on the holiness of people like Navalny, Stang, Douglas, Truth and Tubman. Rather, we wrap them together, some 19th century heroes and sheroes, with late 20th and 21st century
ones. |
The ongoing impact of Dred Scott: students in Ocoee, FL, site of the worst election-day race massacre in U.S. history, resist state educational policies skewing black history. MSNBC. |
We remember what happens when a Supreme Court makes supremely misguided decisions—dreadful ones that spread dread across the land—whether that happen in 1857 or 2024. |
See Matthew Fox, Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society.
And Fox, A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
Banner Image: Portraits of Dred Scott and his wife Harriet Scott. Photographs by John H. Fitzgibbon of St. Louis, MO, 1857. Library of Congress. |
|
Queries for Contemplation What do the words “dread” and “Dred Scott” and “Scott” and “SCOTUS” and “dreadful” trigger in you in light of the 1857
and 2024 Supreme Court decisions? |
Responses are welcomed. To add
your comment, or read other comments and enter into dialog, please click HERE to go to our website and scroll down to the Comments
field. |
Sins of the Spirit, Blessings of the Flesh: Transforming Evil in Soul and Society
Visionary theologian and best-selling author Matthew Fox offers a new theology of evil
that fundamentally changes the traditional perception of good and evil and points the way to a more enlightened treatment of ourselves, one another, and all of nature. In comparing the Eastern tradition of the 7 chakras to the Western tradition of the 7 capital sins, Fox allows us to think creatively about our capacity for personal and institutional evil and what we can do about them.
“A scholarly
masterpiece embodying a better vision and depth of perception far beyond the grasp of any one single science. A breath-taking analysis.” — Diarmuid O’Murchu, author of Quantum Theology: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics |
|
A Spirituality Named Compassion: Uniting Mystical Awareness with Social Justice
In A Spirituality Named Compassion, Matthew Fox delivers a profound exploration of the
meaning and practice of compassion. Establishing a spirituality for the future that promises personal, social, and global healing, Fox marries mysticism with social justice, leading the way toward a gentler and more ecological spirituality and an acceptance of our interdependence which is the substratum of all compassionate activity.
“Well worth our deepest
consideration…Puts compassion into its proper focus after centuries of neglect.” –The Catholic Register |
|
In the Beginning There Was Joy: A Cosmic Celebration for Kids of All Ages
The first book in the Father Fox’s Fantastical Fables series tells the story of the big bang and how humans fit into the awesome, fantastical, cosmic picture! With artwork curated from illustrators around the world, this book expresses the joy and wonder of all peoples and cultures, planting seeds of respect, cooperation and hope to work together for the healing of our planet. "Matthew Fox does it again, here for our young ones, who so need a positive, cosmic vision to thrive, or even survive, in a sad time." - Father Richard Rohr, Author of The Universal Christ
"Matthew Fox offers a resounding affirmation of what our souls have always suspected: we are made for joy." - Mirabai Starr, Author of God of Love and Wild Mercy Receive a 20% discount when you buy this and one other book from Matthew Fox’s store!
Use Promo Code 20% at checkout. |
|
UPCOMING EVENTS See Matthew Fox's full calendar
HERE |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Passion for Creation: The Earth-Honoring Spirituality of Meister Eckhart in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, March 21, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
Register HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox, Mariko Middleton and Skylar Wilson of the Order of the Sacred Earth in a free virtual meeting for connection and networking with other mystic warriors, Tuesday, March 26, 4:00-5:00pm PT. Learn more at www.orderofthesacredearth.org |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Sheer Joy: Conversations with Thomas Aquinas on Creation Spirituality in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, April 18, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
Register
HERE. |
Join Matthew Fox as he discusses his book Natural Grace: Dialogues on Creation, Darkness and the Soul in Spirituality and Science in an Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Thursday, May 16, 4:00-5:30 pm PT.
Register HERE. |
Creation Spirituality Conversations |
Matthew Fox speaks on "What the Mystics Tell Us About Dying" at the 2024 Symposium on Death and Bereavement Studies. To listen, click the video thumbnail at right. |
|
Inspired by this post? Share your insights on Universeodon, Instagram or Twitter using the hashtag #RevDrMatthewFox and tag Matt with @RevDrMatthewFox FOLLOW MATTHEW FOX: |
|
|
|
