Land of the Violent
Have the stories of freedom in America masked a long history of violence?
As bodies were burning from this massacre at the Mystic River in Massachusetts in 1637, pious settlers gave thanks to God for the victory- and even identified that the bodies burning were a “sweet-smelling savor in the nostrils of God.” Is this really the Land of the Free?
Does freedom for some depend on violence against others? Rev Dr. Lee Butler, President of Iliff School of Theology, shares his perspective on the violent history at the founding of the U.S. that continues to influence how we relate to one another today.
Amanda and Rev. Dr. Lee Butler discuss the contradictions between the U.S. ideals of freedom and the country's violent history of slavery, lynching, and cruel massacres. In this episode, this duo argues that acknowledging this history is crucial for understanding the ongoing legacies of colonization and systemic inequality, and the importance of redefining this idea of freedom for future generations to come.
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GUEST:
Born in Central Pennsylvania, the Rev. Dr. Lee H. Butler, Jr. is a lifelong Baptist and a first-generation beneficiary of the Post-Civil and Human Rights struggle in the United States. Dr. Butler comes to Iliff School of Theology from Phillips Theological Seminary where he served as the Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, and the William Tabbernee Professor of the History of Religions and Africana Pastoral Theology since July 1, 2020. He is the first African American tenured full professor and the first person of color to hold the office of VPAA and Academic Dean and serve as Acting President at Phillips. As VPAA, his responsibilities included oversight and supervision of the Associate Dean, Registrar, Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid, Director of Theological Field Education, Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program, Director of Black Church Traditions Program, Dean of the Chapel, Faculty, and Dean of the Library. He is an active publishing scholar. He is the co-editor of The Edward Wimberly Reader: A Black Pastoral Theology (Baylor University Press, 2020); author of Listen, My Son: Wisdom to Help African American Fathers (Abingdon Press, 2010), Liberating Our Dignity, Saving Our Souls (Chalice Press, 2006), A Loving Home: Caring for African American Marriage and Families (Pilgrim Press, 2000), and numerous articles published in many books and professional journals on the subject of pastoral care and pastoral psychology.
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