IDES OF MARCH: THE WATSON FELLOWSHIP & A SEASON OF JOY

BYUMBA, RWANDA—It is a surprisingly chilly Saturday morning here in the land of a thousand hills. And yet, my heart finds warmth in a pleasant memory I enjoy revisiting. It was on March 15, 2007 at 6:30am that I learned of my admission to the new class of Watson Fellows. That blessed day is one I will not soon forget. Oh, how delighted I was and am to be apart of this distinguished constituency! After reading the congratulatory note from the Executive Director of the program, I buried my head in my hands and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving. I then called my mother who screamed, “Divine favor, divine favor, divine favor!” upon hearing the news. I added a hearty amen. I was on the eve of a momentous experience then, and one year later, I am now fully engulfed in what is, by far, the most humbling and exhilarating journey of my life.

Who would have thought that my unrelenting passion for the church and social justice would have won me a season of joy and a deeper encounter with divinity and humanity? I, for one, never imagined that church-hopping would become a near-obsession for me, or that I’d be granted a year to indulge it. But, my oh my, am I grateful for the opportunity to be an independent theologian—to tease through and wrestle with the ways in which we understand the divine. I now understand why theological exegeses are culture-bound, how elitism and poor governance limit social engagement, why the church is stale and stagnant in some contexts, yet fresh and fruitful in others. These kinds of rich revelations have pushed me into a constant state of stretching, forced me to abandon my hard line, black-and-white, religious orthodoxy and provided me with an expanded theological imagination.

My appraisal of Pentecostalism has not been easy, for not everyday has been glorious or magical; there are days when I grow bitter, defiant and bad-tempered because of the church’s complacency and exclusively heavenly-minded theologies. And, there are times when I am challenged, intrigued and energized by congregational activism and the profoundly moving convictions of ordinary people. I honor God for furnishing me with the courage and fearlessness needed to witness spiritual frenzy and participate in community transformation.

Today, I’ll be working with a Pentecostal minister who is training local youth to actively combat genocide ideologies that are quickly resurging here in Byumba. “I see Jesus in my Hutu and Tutsi brothers and sister,” he notes. “I’m raising an army for peace for all of us.” In this dust-ridden town, the church has come alive. Yes, this is what I dreamed of seeing! Thank God this activist-pastor and his church members are more committed to being the enfleshened church than going to church. The fire for justice and service in the hearts of these congregants is enough to still the raw, cold air of sadness and destroy the ever-expanding cycle of despair. It is a radically holy ruckus—an engaged Pentecostalism that Rwanda desperately needs more of. And as a matter of fact, working to end divisions, strife and the demise of hope is important for redeeming the soul of all countries in our dying world.

What was an elusive abstraction on March 15, 2007 is now an unmistakable reality in 2008. Engaged Pentecostalism exists within me and around me—in communities across the world. It is a socially applicable spiritual orientation that I will never lose hunger for—a fiery passion that thrills my soul. As I celebrate my own passion, I welcome the fifty new fellows selected today who will travel with an emblazoned soul pursuing what excites them most. I offer warm congratulations to Wheaton’s new Watties, Jennifer Bombosaro-Brady and Ru-Shyan Yen. It is my desire than next year on the ides of March, they will find all that they are searching for and more.

Blessings,
jr