Perspectives: Meet Rev Jia Starr Brown
Part of practicing midrash is taking time to understand the many ways Scripture can be held and interpreted, and practicing the posture of listening. In our new series, Perspectives, we’re inviting local BIPOC* teachers, faith leaders, and scholars to teach us scripture through the lens of their faith tradition.
Rev. Jia Starr Brown speaks three languages and navigates a range of cultures as an advocate for and pastor to underrepresented and marginalized communities. Her heart beats at the intersection of religion and education and, in addition to pastoring at First Covenant Church in Minneapolis, she’s pursuing her PhD, studying marginalized populations that resist systemic and cultural forces to participate in their own oppression, particularly within faith communities. Pastor Jia and her wife Jennifer are mothers to five inspiring children ranging in age from teenagers to young adults.
We’re excited to hear from Rev Jia November 12 as our next Perspectives teacher.
We sent Jia this question:
Narratives of the human experience invite us to find ourselves somewhere in the story. When thinking about Scripture, where are you in the story right now?
Here’s how she responded:
This is such an interesting question, and one that pops up in my ministry often.
Oftentimes, we do see ourselves in Scripture - we tend to attach ourselves to narratives that align with the ways in which we envision ourselves in the world, i.e. the underdog, the champion, or the faithful.
I believe that a huge part of growing (stretching!) our faith is when we challenge ourselves to step into the narrative that we DON’T commonly - or comfortably - gravitate toward.
Using our license to imagine life and love from perspectives that we don’t usually identify with is meaningful in cultivating relationships, building ministry, and expanding the kingdom.
Change happens when we grow to care about what others care about...and caring about others happens when we step into their shoes.
Want to hear more from Jia?
Join us for our Perspectives Listening Session on Thursday, November 12. Then, be sure to come back the following week for a morning or evening Scripture Circle on the same passage Jia will teach us—so we can wrestle together through the ways we’ve been expanded.
We can’t wait to see what new perspectives we discover together.
*(Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)