Helping Young People make sense of injustice

Every year, I reflect on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. so that I can better fulfill his vision for a beloved community characterized by love, trust, peace, and justice. But this year feels a bit unique, to say the least. A new year is upon us, but we can’t ignore the fact that the remnants of 2020 remain.

Taking that first foray into the realm of science and faith can be difficult. But it is increasingly necessary if we are to facilitate lifelong faith in our youth.

“I just want to put up the Christmas tree and call it a year,” said a parent I know, sitting the requisite six feet from me on our back patio. I chuckled given the timing of our conversation. It was mid-August. After months of frustrating disruption, remote schooling and social upheaval, many of us optimistically envisioned a somewhat “normal” Thanksgiving and Christmas with our families. But with the recent surge in COVID-19 diagnoses and deaths, treasured family and church holiday traditions seem doomed.

Every year, I reflect on the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. so that I can better fulfill his vision for a beloved community characterized by love, trust, peace, and justice. But this year feels a bit unique, to say the least. A new year is upon us, but we can’t ignore the fact that the remnants of 2020 remain.