Weekly Outlook - Why is the PC(USA) so "political"?

Dear readers, I used to play with Barbies in secret. My childhood best friend and I would hole up in my parents' attic for full days and weekends, the brown and white polka dotted carpet itching our legs as we worked through social constructs and relationships through the lives of our favorite dolls. There were years when this was acceptable. Then, perhaps when we started middle school, we decided that such play was embarrassingly childish. Yet, we didn't want to stop.  This resulted in secretive, almost feverish playdates. Our families didn't care. Our shame was self-imposed. We decided the secret must be kept from other classmates. We would collude, making up stories for what to tell our peers if they asked how we spent our weekend.  I thought of those little women last night as I listened to Dr. Lakisha R. Lockhart-Rusch's webinar "The sacred practice of play." For my friend and I eventually stopped playing with Barbie dolls, and I don't know if I've ever worked my way back to that same sense of freedom and possibility. Lockhart-Rusch believes that play is holy work for people of all ages. More than that, play can be a form of resistance. "As a Black woman, the world doesn't often want to see me thrive. So, play is a space of resistance for me. It is an active disruption. The world tells me, 'Oh, you shouldn't be playful.' ... [My choice of joy is] a way to push back and say, 'Absolutely not. That's what the world has maybe shared with you. But not me, because the God I know has made me into this wonderful, creative, playful being, and I'm going to continue to be that regardless of how you are trying to condition me.' So if you want to work your way back to play, if you want to think about practical ways to incorporate play in church or the classroom, I recommend last night's webinar. You may enjoy the recording or Lockhart-Rusch's essay from our April issue, "The complexity of joy." Peace, Rose Schrott Taylor Digital Content Editor

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