“[The global church] it’s not just nice, it’s necessary. We’re in need of the theology that comes from places of suffering and marginalization. We’re in need of songs that are written from those spaces, we’re in need of theological understanding from those spaces, because there’s an aspect of their experience with God and the truth of God that they understand in better ways than we do.” — Sandra Maria Van Opstal
What does it look like to explore the intersection of justice and worship in everyday life? Listen in as WAP associate Caroline Triscik interviews preacher, liturgist, and activist Sandra Maria Van Opstal.
"My earliest recollection of Sandra Maria Van Opstal is of her holding a Spanish-English Sesame Street Ernie doll while speaking to my new staff orientation class for InterVarsity and sharing about some of the complexities and gifts of her bi-cultural upbringing. Later, I would have the privilege to get to know Sandra as we served together in campus ministry in the Chicagoland area for about half a dozen years. I got to know Sandra especially well during our time together in Mexico City for an urban ministry conference, including convincing her to travel with me to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe during our free time, relying on and trusting her voice in a multitude of ways.
"Since I last saw Sandra in person, she has received her MDiv from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is now a pastor at Grace and Peace Church in Chicago. Sandra’s persistence in her pursuit of justice and speaking out prophetically compels me to consider where God might be calling me to use my voice and seek justice. Listen in on our recent conversation as Sandra offers her thoughts on justice and its relationship to corporate worship, as well as her vision for mutuality in the Church, her experience as a woman in seminary, and her strategies for managing life as a busy working mother."
— Caroline Triscik
You can listen on iTunes or at All Shall Be Well: Conversations with Women in the Academy and Beyond. We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did.
Links mentioned in this interview:
