In general life, there is nothing I like more than making a plan. I am a person of action and having a plan is the first step towards getting started toward a goal. But oof…I have wrestled with this one. I think that because this plan is focused on analyzing the past and taking a very critical look at my current context and (perhaps) my participation in ARC, it’s been trickier to come up with how I want to move forward with this plan. Nevertheless, if I break it down and look at each of the categories in the assignment, I know that there are real, specific, and meaningful actions I can take to better analyze and understand how ARC has impacted my life in the areas of faith, leadership, and my current institutional context. Here are my thoughts on how to go about this. 

Faith: Because I became a Christian in high school and not in my family of origin, I remember a lot about what I was taught, who had the power, and how it was exercised. The exercise of the Common Table Method was actually incredibly helpful in helping me see the faith context of my youth in a new and clearer light. I also am still very good friends with my high school best friend and we’ve been able to compare notes, offer insight, and contextualize our experiences together over the last few years. I haven’t set foot in that church in at least a decade, or maybe even two, but I have decided that I want to go back and experience it with a new lens. In some ways I’ve made it into an ARC archetype in my mind, so I’d be interested in where I might offer it more grace. I also wonder if some of what I remember about fear-based rhetoric is even more prevalent given this current cultural moment. Either way, I think I have to go back and see for myself. 

Leadership: I’ve had the opportunity to sit at the highest level of leadership in my organization for almost four years now, which means I have had ample opportunities to use my influence and power to either usher in DCA or uphold ARC. I need to take an honest and reflective look at the discussions, strategies, and decisions that I have had the opportunity to speak into and who they benefitted. Before getting into an executive leadership position, I completely underestimated the politics and power struggles that often go on at this level. I have considered literally going through meeting minutes to better understand and analyze what kinds of issues have been discussed by our team and where I chose to use my power. I certainly can remember with clarity (and obnoxious pride–gah!) the times I have stood up for the underprivileged or underrepresented, but I know that there areI times I weigh my own agenda and decide to stay silent. I plan to take a deep dive into the real data on this and see what patterns emerge. At least I will read all those meeting minutes someone has so painstakingly taken. 

My Institution: This has proven to be the most challenging aspect to analyze. Maybe it’s because there’s so much at stake in delving into this realm. Nonetheless, I recognize the importance of confronting it. I keep pondering that if DCA represents the ultimate objective, or as Dr. Gushee describes it, the “antidote” to ARC, then pinpointing where DCA is lacking becomes imperative in understanding where ARC persists. This question has been on my mind throughout the past week as I’ve led meetings, attended leadership events, and participated in board of trustees’ gatherings. It’s like viewing everything through a new lens. I’m starting to observe and take note of instances where concepts like freedom, liberation, and mutual flourishing are viewed with apprehension rather than embraced. Just this week, I sat in a meeting where an influential person centered their discourse around fear of outsiders and moral decline. I aim to remain vigilant in identifying such occurrences. In fact, I’ve dedicated a section in my notebook to document what I observe. Within a week, I’ve already noted three instances. It seems like this list could grow rapidly.