Shalomic Imagination

Gathering with West Coast Anabaptists

Next week, I’ll have the privilege of joining the Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference Annual Meeting. As someone formed by the Mennonite tradition—while also finding a home among Lutherans, Episcopalians, emergents, evangelicals, urban practitioners, and ecumenical communities—these gatherings always feel a

Dwight J. Friesen June 16, 2026June 17, 2026

Advent, Liminality, & A Time Between Worlds

Followers of Jesus are observing Advent—that ancient lament season of waiting, watching, and longing. It is a time intentionally carved out of the calendar to dwell in the space between: between past promise and future fulfillment, between the world as

Dwight J. Friesen December 1, 2025December 15, 2025

On Earth as in Heaven?

Over the past week, cities across the United States have erupted with protests and riots in response to recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions—particularly in Los Angeles, where tensions boiled over after a series of aggressive raids. These aren’t

Dwight J. Friesen June 11, 2025June 11, 2025

“For God so Loves the World…”

The “Metacrisis” as Daniel Schmachtenberger and others describe it, is the future of “Christian Mission.” This is a much watch! Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen June 7, 2025June 6, 2025

My Poster Board on Faith for Cities

As part of this year’s “Day of Scholarship” at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, I presented a poster board highlighting some of the work I do in service of the UN-Habitat’s efforts at implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

Dwight J. Friesen January 11, 2025January 17, 2025

Brueggemann’s Response to “Election 2024”

Earlier today I came across a post-election reflection piece on the Church Anew website by Dr. Walter Brueggemann… the wise, influential, and kind Hebrew Bible scholar. Brueggemann’s article is titled, “Beyond the Fetal Position,” and I commend it to you. Brueggemann

Dwight J. Friesen November 7, 2024November 13, 2024

Join Us on Holy Saturday

This Saturday, March 30, 2024, at 1:00PM Pacific Time, at the Tacoma Detention Center. (map below). The Table Turning website says: Table Turning is a rarely discussed part of the Jesus story. Just a few days before Jesus was executed

Dwight J. Friesen March 27, 2024March 27, 2024

…But I’m Ready Now!

One week left! As a child I found this final week was almost unbearable… anticipation overload! Time off school, gifts to open, gifts to give, fun events in my neighborhood, school, church and extended family. Just a different kind of

Dwight J. Friesen December 18, 2022December 18, 2022

Great Article by Kevin Neuhouser

In the wake of Seattle Pacific University’s Board of Directors’ decision to double down on its policy to proactively exclude queer faculty, student protests and sit-ins have gained national… even international attention. Kevin Neuhouser, who is a professor of sociology

Dwight J. Friesen August 25, 2022September 6, 2022

Nationalism & Resurrection?

For weeks and weeks now, Putin’s attack on Ukraine has dominated the news cycle and has captured many of our hearts. We are rightly concerned. Then this week in the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (son of former dictator) won that

Dwight J. Friesen May 13, 2022June 7, 2022

Collective Leadership by Petra Kuentel

My friend Forrest Inslee recently introduced me to the important work of Dr. Petra Kuenkel. Petra has amassed a very impressive CV investing her life as a leading strategic advisor to pioneering international multi-stakeholder initiatives tackling themes of local and

Dwight J. Friesen November 10, 2021November 6, 2022

Cultivating Imagination for a More Shalomic Future

Leading Ideas Talks brings to the table cutting-edge leaders on subjects you care about — navigating change, reaching younger people, financing your ministry, communicating effectively — to help you be the leader God is calling you to be. Dr. Ann Michel,

Dwight J. Friesen August 24, 2021November 8, 2021

Walking Sacred Ground… Montgomery, Selma, & Birmingham

During our first trip to visit my sister and her family since they made the seismic move from Calgary, Alberta to Birmingham, Alabama – which happened to be our first flight anywhere since the beginning of the pandemic – they

Dwight J. Friesen July 25, 2021November 17, 2021

“Defund the Police” Anabaptist Curriculum

My spiritual lineage has is a pretty straight line back to the earliest days of the Anabaptist peace movement… often referred to as the “radical reformation” within Christianity. The older I grow the more I appreciate aspects of my heritage.

Dwight J. Friesen April 24, 2021November 7, 2022

Sanctity of Life & Dignity of All

Declaring The Sanctity Of Life & The Dignity Of All We come together as senior religious leaders, academics, and lay leaders from around the world to affirm the sanctity of life and dignity of all. We affirm that all human

Dwight J. Friesen March 17, 2021December 19, 2022

The Black Church

“This is the story and song our ancestors bequeathed to us, and it comes at a time in our country when the very things they struggled and died for — faith and freedom, justice and equality, democracy and grace —

Dwight J. Friesen February 13, 2021November 22, 2021

Doing Practical Theology

I received an email from a dear friend who is an executive director of a Latin American mission collective. As I responded to the email I thought I’d take some of what I offered, modify it slightly, and post it

Dwight J. Friesen January 22, 2021November 8, 2021

“The Hill We Climb” by Amanda Gorman

The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman  Mr. President, Dr. Biden, Madam Vice President, Mr. Emhoff, Americans and the world. When day comes we ask ourselves where can we find light in this never-ending shade? The loss we carry asea

Dwight J. Friesen January 20, 2021November 8, 2021

Thriving Cities

This 10 minute video put together by the Thriving Communities Group is a beautiful introduction to our vital need for a renewed Shalomic imagination for faithful presence within the ecosystem of relations that sustain life. The video is really good!

Dwight J. Friesen December 2, 2020September 26, 2022

Father Greg Boyle: Widow, Orphan, & Stranger

“For unless love becomes tenderness—the connective tissue of love—it never becomes transformational. The tender doesn’t happen tomorrow . . . only now.” Gregory Boyle The Tacoma Catholic Worker newsletter which graced my mailbox yesterday referred back to some of the

Dwight J. Friesen December 1, 2020November 24, 2021

“Lead Us to the End of Us versus Them”

Well, as we all know today is the US presidential election.  Everyone in this nation and many around the world are watching with bated breath to see what will happen in this country both today and in the days to

Dwight J. Friesen November 3, 2020November 24, 2021

Hindsight is 20/21?

What can we learn from 2020, so that we can be more ready for 2021? Will 2021 be any different than this year? If so how? Maybe more importantly, why? What are you and your neighbors doing now to shape

Dwight J. Friesen October 19, 2020May 6, 2022

Faith(s) for the Environment – Call to Action

The ongoing collaboration between the Parliament of World Religions together with the UN-Environment Programme, has set forth a “Faith for Earth: A Call for Action.” This beautifully compiled document describes the essential, unshakeable reverence that all religions have for creation

Dwight J. Friesen September 2, 2020September 28, 2022

Prophetic Now! Walter Brueggemann & Kenyatta Gilbert

Totally loved this conversation between two wise Christian thinkers. Together, they explore the contours of “the prophetic” in times like these. While this conversation was recorded prior to the murder of George Floyd it – in my opinion – stands

Dwight J. Friesen August 20, 2020November 8, 2022

Imagining Peace

What a great TED talk! Pádraig Ó Tuama is an Irish poet and theologian, and this is worth watching. Peace, dwight

Dwight J. Friesen October 29, 2016November 4, 2022

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

A few months ago – September 25, 2015 to be exact – the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Development Agenda titled “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.” I can only imagine the

Dwight J. Friesen February 2, 2016February 26, 2024

Judy Chicago

Merger Poem by Judy Chicago And then all that has divided us will merge And then compassion will be wedded to power And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind And then both men and

Dwight J. Friesen November 12, 2007January 29, 2024

Confessing Christ in a World of Violence

A new confession of Christ. I wholeheartedly endorse this statement. Thanks to Jim Wallis and the thoughtful people over at Sojourners. Peace, dwight 1. Jesus Christ, as attested in Holy Scripture, knows no national boundaries. Those who confess his name

Dwight J. Friesen November 6, 2004September 28, 2022

Quest… In the Transition

North American culture is changing.  So is church culture(s). Some have suggested that culture is reinventing itself at a faster pace than ever before… while none of us have lived at another time something inside me senses that this may

Dwight J. Friesen April 18, 2001November 5, 2021