I hope your week has been wonderful. This week holds special significance as we delve into the theological meaning of Holy Week, which is central to the Christian faith. Jesus endured suffering, died, and triumphed over death!

I want to share some insights from my devotions this week. Each day, I reflected on the Passion of Christ and composed 25 meditations on Holy Week. My prayer is that they resonate with you.

With the peace of Christ,

Dr. Antipas

Image: Kelly Sikkema

Meditations on Holy Week

1. As we enter the sacred time of Holy Week, let us take a moment to reflect deeply on the profound journey of Jesus. The gravity of the Resurrection is illuminated through the trials and tribulations outlined during this significant week.
2. Today marks Palm Sunday, the ceremonial beginning of Holy Week. This is an opportunity to learn from Jesus, who exemplified the art of repositioning Himself for what lay ahead. He made a remarkable entrance into Jerusalem, riding on a humble colt, an emblem of simplicity and vulnerability. How might you prepare yourself, adjusting your stance for the divine plans God has in store for your next chapter?
3. Riding a young donkey, though seemingly mundane, speaks volumes of Jesus’ readiness to embrace the challenges ahead. This choice symbolizes the discomfort and struggle that would unfold throughout the week, as He traversed a path marked by pain, ultimately leading to a victorious destiny. Repositioning ourselves often demands radical and even uncomfortable changes.
4. The journey of Holy Week is steeped in profound humility, a call to lay aside our egos and acknowledge something greater than ourselves. Lord, forgive us for the moments when we fail to embody humility, and guide us to walk faithfully in the footsteps of Christ’s example!
5. Holy Week serves as a powerful testament of faith played out in the public arena. Jesus showcased unwavering love even amidst brutal and violent opposition. Though love may sometimes be overshadowed or trampled, His steadfast commitment to love remained resolute. Indeed, love is far mightier than hate.
6. Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem was laden with prophetic significance. The crowd recognized His divine essence as they cheered, witnessing the spectacle of His arrival on a colt. Their adoration hinted at the ultimate victory to come, despite the turbulent path ahead, fraught with pain, betrayal, and denial. While we may know the conclusion of the story, it was a profound and challenging faith journey for Him.
7. The journey of faith is not one of flawless perfection but rather one of exploration and growth. As we navigate through life, we encounter moments of learning and reflection. It echoes the sentiment of Bishop Anselm of Canterbury, who spoke of “Fides quaerens intellectum”—faith seeking understanding. May this week serve as a transformative journey filled with fresh insights, nurturing our lived witness to the world.
8. After sharing His last meal with His disciples, Jesus spoke these comforting words: “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth… You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) Come, Holy Spirit!
9. During Holy Week, a poignant and transformative moment unfolded as Jesus knelt before His disciples to wash their feet, symbolically commissioning them for a life of unwavering service. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. profoundly stated, “You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” Jesus exemplified this truth, His actions a masterclass in humility! What about us?
10. Faithfully pursuing the depth of Christ’s love demands a spirit of humility and a commitment to serve. The Master Teacher and Lord, in a gesture of unparalleled love, lowered Himself to the dusty ground, knowing that among those He served, two would soon betray and deny Him. Christ’s love is boundless and knows no restrictions, reaching even the most unreachable hearts.
11. As we meditate on the Passion Story, our focus is drawn to the profound hope we find in Christ’s enduring promise. This sacred week serves as a reminder that mental stress and emotional turmoil are transient; they do not linger. Sunday’s resurrection is coming, heralding a new dawn!
12. Holy Week unveils a deep and transformative connection between love and hope. God’s love extends to every individual, even to those who seem difficult to embrace. Lord, in Your infinite mercy, guide us to love as You do. Hope, after all, is a relentless force. Our struggles do not dictate our destiny; rather, through them, we find resilience and emerge even stronger!
13. We must not underestimate the profound devastation of feeling crushed; it brings pain, a burden that resonates with many hearts. Jesus intimately understood the depths of this agony. Yet, it’s essential to recognize that these crushing experiences do not define us—our true beauty does.
14. In the midst of suffering, a glimmer of hope emerges as beauty slowly reveals itself. Just as wine is born from the pressing of grapes and oil flows from the pressing of olives, our life’s true purpose often springs forth from the trials we endure. Jesus faced His own moments of crushing anguish in Gethsemane, a testament to the human experience. Soon, we will gather to celebrate the immeasurable lesson uncovered in such trials: while crushing moments are temporary, the victories they yield are everlasting!
15. J.P. Lederach reminds us that theo-moral imagination invites us to envision ourselves within a vast network of relationships—one that even includes our enemies. It encourages us to embrace the complexities of life without reverting to simplistic dualistic thinking, to pursue creativity boldly, and to bravely accept the inherent risks of venturing into the unknown.
16. Let us not rush to the resurrection; there’s a compelling story that unfolds before the glory! Let’s take time to reflect on that narrative. Jesus endured profound suffering, reminding us that if we seek His resurrection power, we must also partake in His suffering (Phil 3:10). Beyond the shadows of despair lies magnificent glory!
17. The term “Maundy” derives from the Latin word for “commandment,” a poignant reference to Jesus’ profound humility on Maundy Thursday when He washed His disciples’ feet and called them to embody that same spirit of service and love. Lord, in Your boundless mercy, guide us toward a deeper understanding of how to love and serve others with true humility.
18. Have you ever felt the sting of loneliness or the weight of abandonment? Consider that even Jesus experienced such heart-wrenching emotions on the cross, crying out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Remember, even in the heaviest of moments, this is not the end for you—in this life and beyond. A brighter dawn is ahead; just wait and see!
19. “Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:46. Like Jesus, entrust everything into God’s capable hands. Let it go. Trust that God can carry your burdens with grace and strength.
20. “On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross; The emblem of suffering and shame, And I love that old cross where the dearest and best; For a world of lost sinners was slain….” (Hymn)
21. Through the boundless love of Jesus, vividly revealed on the cross, we encounter a profound and transformative truth: True love, at its core, endures suffering. The ultimate victory of love emerges only through the crucible of pain and sacrifice. In essence, love bears the weight of suffering; yet it also triumphs in unfathomable ways!
22. Good Friday is a sacred moment of reflection, a time to honor a Savior who willingly gave His life for the sins of the world. St. Augustine reminds us, “The death of the Lord our God should not be a cause of shame for us; rather, it should be our greatest hope, our greatest glory.” In the face of the cross, we witness the profound generosity of our loving Jesus. Yet, paradoxically, this true love exposes its vulnerability, open to the wounds inflicted by those who abandon, betray, deceive, strive to sow discord, and walk away. The depth of this love makes the hurt all the more poignant and real.
23. Good Friday beckons us into a deep theological reflection on the suffering Christ—a Jesus who embraces pain with open arms. Theologian Jurgen Moltmann articulates beautifully that the God who suffers is the God who loves deeply. Our God is not distant; rather, He is profoundly moved by our own struggles and heartaches. In our moments of vulnerability and distress, God draws nearer, embodying the essence of true and abiding love.
24. In the words of scripture, “Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” (Matt 26:27-28) Our sins are forgiven, and we can respond with fervent joy: Hallelujah!
25. Revelation 5:9 resounds with triumphant praise, declaring, “They sing a new song: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slaughtered, and by your blood, you ransomed for God saints from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” In these words, we find the powerful truth that the blood of Jesus Christ has redeemed us, wrapping us in grace and love beyond measure.

PR

Salient questions of our guests are the following: What happened to you? What changed? How did it change? In what ways have your life changed for the better? What did you learn? What suggestions do you have considering what you went through?

We are interested in stories about discrimination, trauma, addiction, oppression, exclusion, and violence.

Stories about personal and communal transformation are both informative and inspirational. They remind us that trauma does not have the last word – redemption is possible!

Narrativity with Dr. Antipas is part of the Mental Health News Radio (MHNR) Network. The show is available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

I hope you subscribe to listen to the weekly podcast.

Thank you so much!

Antipas

Listen to the perspective of a retired surgeon who spent his career operating on victims of gunshot wounds. The tragic scene of people unreasonably shot led the surgeon to committing his life to the struggle against violence. Dr. Bob Gayle explains that one of his main interests upon retirement is to help young people make better choices. Dr. Gayle volunteers at the Urban Renewal Center’s Homework Club to help elementary school children focus on a future of success and avoid paths to gun violence.

This week on Narrativity Keeya Vawar tells her story. Keeya was a victim of human trafficking. The glitz and glamor of the music industry lured her at a time of vulnerability. She was 16 years old with an abusive father. She was on a search for “another life.” Too young and too scared to make responsible decisions, a music executive and musicians offered Keeya the world with music videos, money, a place to live and more. Soon Keeya was a slave to the industry. From one situation to the next, Keeya finally cried out for help. She got the help she needed and now she lives to tell her story.

“The Christian-Evangelical Dilemma and Response to Racial Justice: Martin Luther King, Jr’s Beloved Community.”

When: March 11, 2021, at 7pm EST

Where: Zoom webinar (without cost)

I would love for you to join us this Thursday night, March 11, 2021, at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST for a free virtual lecture with Dr. Jamal-Dominique Hopkins. Dr. Hopkins serves as the dean at the Dickerson-Green Theological Seminary at Allen University and regularly teaches in the area of biblical languages and literature. He teaches Old and New Testament Studies, Biblical Hebrew and Greek, and Early Judaism. His scholarly research and publications are in the area of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Qumran Literature, Biblical Hermeneutics and African American Christian Thought. He is the only known person of African Descent to hold a doctorate in the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Dr. Hopkins has a passion for matters of racial conciliatory activism. He sees it as a fundamental activity of the original Christian faith.

The title of Dr. Hopkin’s lecture will be “The Christian-Evangelical Dilemma and Response to Racial Justice: Martin Luther King, Jr’s Beloved Community.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. was betwixt and between his Black Christian fundamentalist upbringing and the classical liberal theological orientation of his educational training. Both contexts informed his orthodoxy which in turn helped govern much of his lived experience. While his fundamentalist upbringing largely reflected the rank-and-file participants of the civil rights campaigns (i.e., the poor and socially disenfranchised), white evangelical responses were markedly different. This session will explore these responses to forge solutions toward achieving the beloved community.

Click here to join us for the 1-hour lecture on the Zoom virtual platform this Thursday, March 11, 2021 at 7pm EST/ 6pm CST.

This Lead Like King project at The Urban Renewal Center is our brand-new emphasis on public theology. The goals are to:

1. Build stronger relationships in diverse communities;
2. Heal racial brokenness as a result of lived experience;
3. Assist organizations in their effort to build more cohesive communities of diversity.

Join us for all of the rich series in which theological scholar-practitioners, like Dr. Chandler and Dr. Hopkins, are sharing ways each of us can participate in the collective journey toward the vision of a promised wholeness at the Urban Renewal Center.

Sincerely, Dr. Antipas

Ambassador Young is an American jewel. He served as an activist, diplomat, and politician. Beginning his career as a pastor, Young was an early leader in the civil rights movement, serving as executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. He was also a close confidant to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

No stranger to The Potter’s House, Ambassador Young joined us for the Reconciled Church event and supports the work of the Lord in our ministries. Please join us for this free, unique opportunity to hear from this wise leader and deep thinker. RSVP by Monday, November 2nd.

We hope that you are able to join us!

Dr. Antipas

Join Antipas Harris for a live conversation about faith, Marxism, and Black Lives Matter.

Update: Follow the link below for watch the dialogue.

I would like to invite you to join me TONIGHT for an intellectually and spiritually invigorating Live Streaming conversation with highly acclaimed sociologist and practical theologian Bryan Froehle, Ph.D.

In light of the current social unrest, we will be having a dialogue concerning the Church, social structures, and social justice.

Simply click on the link below or join me on my public Facebook page TONIGHT, Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at 9 pm EDT/ 8 pm CDT/ 6 pm PDT. 

I hope to see your comments tonight on either YouTube or on my public Facebook page @drantipas. Be sure to “like” and “share” the live conversation on your social media outlets.

Thank you in advance for your participation!

Sincerely,

Dr. Antipas

Antipas Harris introduces his new book, the serious challenge behind it, and his invitation to join him in proclaiming anew that Jesus is Good News for everyone.

Without doubt, we are living through troubled times. The world is engulfed in noxious uncertainties: contentious politics, racial unrest, hate groups and global warming, to name a few. Now, amidst the devastation of coronavirus, or COVID-19, many people are turning to – or back to – faith. Amid the constant resurgence of blatant racism, as exemplified in the recent murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, reminds us that we are really battling two pandemics, simultaneously. People are looking for answers, seeking the “peace that passes all understanding,” and a new and better normal. As president of a divinity school, my primary aim is ensuring that current and future ministers are prepared to bear witness more effectively for such a time as this. To that end, seminarians and faith leaders alike will discover refreshing new strategies for overcoming obstacles and deepening faith in my forthcoming book, Is Christianity the White Man’s Religion?

Americans searched for God with renewed interest in the last decade, and it seems that COVID-19 has only intensified this quest. Spiritual fulfillment, after all, is an important dimension of the human psyche. While many people will continue to look to the Bible and their Christian faith for guidance, others question the relevance of the Bible for contemporary times. In any case, people in general are scouring America’s spiritual landscape, hoping to find a faith that is real, one that heals and unifies. I explore this faith anew in Is Christianity the White Man’s Religion?

Let me share an experience I had a few years ago while teaching a graduate course on leadership. A 22-year-old student interrupted my lecture with a question: “What do you say to people who are leaving the church and arguing that Christianity is the white man’s religion?” I was taken aback by the question. First, it was unrelated to the topic. Second, I wondered who in the world would argue such a thing. I knew that this had been a common question back during the Jim Crow era, and I almost brushed it off. However, the discussion that ensued opened a world of discovery. Apparently, my ethnically diverse class of millennials was more attuned to the relevance of the question than I.

Unable to shake the discussion from my thoughts, I embarked on a journey of research and found that many Christians are unaware that much pondering about faith exists outside the church. How relevant is the Bible for understanding today’s complex issues? What does the Bible offer to a nation of multi-ethnic, multicultural, multi-generational individuals? The answers to these and similar questions led me to write Is Christianity the White Man’s Religion?

Greetings with Jesus’ joy!

With the arrival of coronavirus (COVID-19) on the world stage, more than 130 countries have been caught in a public health crisis of yet unknown devastation. Today, in the United States, along with other countries, “ordinary” life as we have known it, is no more. We now daily face a deadly virus, one stealthily transmitted by a person unaware of her or his infection. Suddenly, “social distancing” demands that we restrict human interaction – no handshakes, no high five’s, no hugs, no crowds.

The demand for tests and testing and the widespread closing of schools, universities and businesses, along with cancellations of social, political and religious events, all point to a severely crippled America. We see anxious shoppers entangled in chaotic scrambling for water, food, and yes, toilet paper! Just thinking of the long-term impact on the economy boggles the mind. A vaccine, scientists report, could be as far away as twelve to eighteen months.

In Washington, D.C., the rapid spread of COVID-19 compelled a historically contentious Congress to pass an unprecedented bipartisan funding bill. These funds will underwrite the costs of urgently needed resources – many associated with job loss, childcare, medical leave, emergency equipment, and nutritional needs. Clearly, the COVID-19 pandemic has the power to affect us all in ways more drastic and more frightening than anyone could have predicted.

People of faith, however, can access a greater power – the power of God. In times of great stress, people of faith need not be overwhelmed. Crisis may reign but God is strong and unmovable. Each of us can declare with the confidence of the psalmist: God is my refuge and my fortress… my God, in whom I trust (Psalm 91:2). Our attitude toward this “new normal” should not be hopelessness and despair.

As people of faith, we can pray that COVID-19 will peak, decline, and descend into nonexistence. Surviving this outbreak will take more than medical expertise and modified behavior; it will require the steadfast faith of God’s people, drawing strength from both “In God We Trust” and “E pluribus unum.” This is not a time to panic, but a time to activate our faith and trust the blessed assurance of God’s faithfulness to us.

At the same time, we must attend to precautionary measures:

• Educate yourself about coronavirus (COVID-19). Ask questions. Stay up to date with information from credible sources, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Maintain strict personal hygiene. Wash your hands throughout the day with soap and warm water, and avoid touching your face, eyes, and mouth.
• Prepare for a possible imposed quarantine. Stock up on food, water, medicine, household supplies, entertainment, communication devices and other essentials to sustain your household for 6-8 weeks.
• Pay special attention to elderly loved ones and to any person in the home with a compromised health condition.
• Maintain contact with family and friends through radio, telephone, television, and social media. Visit them “in person” on Skype!
• Remain calm and prayerful. Seek peace in spiritual pursuits. Explore new ways to stay positive, encouraged, and constructively busy.

Times like these are reminders that health, life, and normalcy are more fragile than we probably realized, but we must always remember that God is in control. Until we can congregate again in person, know that I care deeply about your well-being and will be lifting you in prayer.

Grace and peace be multiplied upon you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Antipas

When: Thursday, October 24 through Friday, October 25

Where: Place Ballroom, Potter’s House of Dallas

I would like to invite you to the “Symposium on the Holy Spirit and Theological Education” at Jakes Divinity School in Dallas, TX. The symposium will be held at the Potter’s House of Dallas in the PLACE Ballroom, Thursday – Friday, October 24 and 25, 2019. We will convene a few of the nations erudite scholars to help us think deeply about theological education that transforms the challenges of our world.

Join Bishop TD Jakes and me, as we welcome Dr. Yolanda Pierce, Dr. Leonard Sweet, and a host of other thinkers for this symposium.

The “Symposium on the Holy Spirit and Theological Education” is an annual academic forum that invites a general Christian audience, pastors, ministers, and theological students from around the world, scholars, and JDS students to participate in conversations that promise to be intellectually stimulating and theologically challenging. At the same time, it will inform Christian leadership and practice.

Registration is $85. It includes all sessions, the opening dinner Thursday evening, a light breakfast Friday morning and a boxed lunch during the closing panel discussion.

I truly hope you are able to join us. If so, please go ahead and register here. This symposium will be one of a kind!

Sincerely,

Dr. Antipas

“There is a time for everything… a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance …” Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

The day after the gruesome massacre at L’Simcha (Tree of Life) Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, we lament the loss of 11 precious lives who died and the 6 people who were wounded. We detest the repulsive and malevolent evil that fills a person’s heart to carry out such execrable violence. Senseless violence that is contemplated, attempted, or inflicted remind us that evil is utterly destructive; hate is absolutely repulsive. And, the ramifications are catastrophic and self-defeating.

Today, we mourn because we suffer together with the families and loved ones of those we lost. Our hearts break for the families, and we are intensely prayerful for the 6 people who are alive but wounded. We mourn with our Jewish sisters and brothers who feel the whiplash of lingering antisemitism that has plagued their community for thousands of years. Our nation, once again, has succumbed to senseless aversion and ferocity.

Another faith community (this time – a synagogue) is devastated, pulling the bandage off the emotional wound that lingers from the massacre at the Sikh temple in Oak Creek, WI, Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC and First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, TX.

Sociologists have noted that congregational spaces (i.e. churches, synagogues, mosques, etc.) exist as beacons of hope for the people in our communities. Violent shootings in congregational spaces not only desecrate the sanctity of sacred space but are also an assault upon a community’s symbol of hope.

Every citizen of the world must condemn all forms of religious hate, racism, xenophobia, political violence, and any other manifestation of intolerance. We do not have to agree in order to be civil. We must not seek to champion a cause at the demise of other people.

Let’s strongly detest hate, cling to love, and pursue justice with all of our hearts and at all cost. We must not allow revulsions and massacres to prevail as a new norm. Let’s learn civility and honor. Let conciliatory efforts be our story and love carry us forward.

Let’s pause and take this time to lament. We cannot afford to keep repeating nightmares like the one before us today….

Peace,

Dr. Antipas

October 28, 2018

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