The prophetic imagination

The Prophetic Imagination has been a phrase that has captured my attention since I first heard it last spring in my Theology of Justice and Diversity class.

Walter Brueggemann, the theologian who coined the phrase describes a bit of the prophetic imagination in this way: “The task of prophetic ministry is to nurture, nourish, and evoke a consciousness and perception alternative to the consciousness and perception of the dominant culture around us.”

The prophetic imagination is something we build – it is something that we have to nurture and nourish. It is through experiences – through prophetic pockets of justice (communities of justice) – which we encounter that we begin to build a prophetic imagination. It is through interacting and participating in these kinds of communities that we find a vision for a life that functions according to the values of the Kingdom and in contradiction to the values of Empire.

The last couple months, I have stumbled upon two beautiful and holy prophetic pockets of justice. One of them I came to glimpse through my internship with Voz de Libertad. APAC, the restorative justice program at one of the prisons in San José, is such a beautiful example of a community of people living according to a restorative vision of justice that encourages healing and reconciliation. Getting to glimpse this program has given me a different vision for what it means to value human life and to walk alongside people in processes of change and growth – it is not something that happens overnight. It requires time and patience – growth comes with gentle nurturing, just like plants grow with nurturing. It requires truly being with people in the good, bad, and ugly.

I have also had the chance to glimpse and participate in the Casa Adobe community every Sunday night. Casa Adobe is an intentional Christian community in which a couple of families live in a home together. They share everything – the microwave, fridge, common areas, cars, etc. They seek to love and care for their neighbors in their particular neighborhood. They are intentional in their practices and care for the environment. They have gardens that they tend to and eat from. They worship and study the Word together. They eat dinner together every night, rotating who cooks the meals. There are people from different countries and all walks of life. It is such a beautiful picture of the church.

Prophetic pockets of justice are messy, but they’re so holy. Living in close community is messy, because well, we as humans are quite messy. I am so thankful for the chance to glimpse at these two communities that have given deeper meaning to the passage in Acts 2 that talks about the community of believers. When I read this passage now, I think of these communities. The are living, active, and breathing examples of a different kind of way of living - a way that Jesus is inviting us into.

What a gift to know these communities and have little moments to participate in them – they are forming my prophetic imagination. They are helping to form a vision of the Kingdom of God for me to move toward; one that is completely counter cultural.

I pray that God would continue to help us all to glimpse these prophetic pockets that mold and shape and move us toward a vision of the Kingdom that is lived out in all our words and actions and practices.

En la paz de Cristo,

Elena

PS - here is a link to a playlist I have been making called "prophetic imagination." Listening to the lyrics of these songs have been helping to shape my understanding of what is (and what is not) the gospel and the Kingdom of God. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3fWZ42Q7rLOlJ7NAGBvgHc?si=5b1e796aba1d4290