Seeds of Creative Maladjustment

Last updated on: February 2, 2011 at 8:03 pm by christamazzonepalmberg

Seeds of Creative Maladjustment 2011-02-02T20:03:47-07:00 christamazzonepalmberg

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“Creative maladjustment,” King’s riff on Paul’s message in Romans 12:2 emphasized by Adam Taylor in his new book Mobilizing Hope, is the base line of community organizing. The seeds of maladjustment were planted in me several years ago when, as a college student, I volunteered with a men’s homeless shelter affiliated with a Christian church in Chicago. One night, during the Bible study held after dinner, the staff person teaching the study (who, incidentally, was also the person who decided whether or not each man was allowed in for the night for dinner and shelter), raised the issue of capital punishment. I’ll never forget how several of the shelter guests sincerely questioned his view that the Old Testament proves God’s support for capital punishment. “Didn’t we just learn last week that Jesus said to forgive your brother seventy times seven times?” one of the men asked. Even more memorable than the question was the response. In a tone dripping with condescension and an inflated sense of his authority, the staff person refuted the connection and made it clear no further objections were welcome. As a young woman without theological training whose role at the shelter was minimal, I hesitated to speak up…even though anger burned within me. What right did this staff person have to force his views on these men who were dependent on him for their night’s food and lodging?

Although I wasn’t brave enough at the time to challenge his abuse of power, I could no longer fully embrace the Church’s traditional approach to ministry and charity. I became, in a word, “maladjusted.” Through community organizing, I have found a creative and faithful way to act on my maladjustment; my anger toward injustice and my belief in the dignity of all of God’s children. Whereas, as Taylor puts it, “as people of faith, we are often uneasy about power and blind to the power we possess,” community organizing emphasizes that effective work for social change cannot happen without a clear understanding of the power dynamics at work in a given situation. Power, like money, can be used for good or for evil. As Christians working to help realize God’s Kingdom of peace and justice, we must be strategic in our engagement with power. I have learned over the years that many campaigns I participated in failed simply because our efforts were directed at the wrong people, or they weren’t directed anywhere at all. (How many times have you participated in a prayer service or vigil that allowed you to walk away feeling good about doing something, but which didn’t result in much else?)

Community organizing is about believing the world can be different; that we can make concrete changes that bring us closer to the world God desires, if we work together across the lines that too often divide us. Through forming deep relationships and acting strategically to address our shared concerns and dreams, we harness the power of everyday people. The seeds of creative maladjustment were planted in me long ago, but I continue to find hope in the belief that God calls us to work for a world where every person has a voice, and has the ability to make that voice heard.

Christa Mazzone Palmberg is an Organizer with Sound Alliance, an organization of diverse religious institutions, labor unions, education associations and other civic nonprofits organizing for the common good in the Puget Sound. She is serves on the board of directors of Sojourners and is an active member of First Covenant Church, Seattle.

For more stories from “Modern Mobilizers” such as Christa, visit the Patheos Book Club, where you’ll also find resources on Adam Taylor’s book Mobilizing Hope, including a book excerpt and author Q&A.**

Uncategorized

Previous Post

February 1, 2011

Mobilizing Hope

Next Post

February 3, 2011 The Introvert Activist

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Author Q&A Book Review Christian Living Church Leadership Stump a Scholar Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2022 March 2021 October 2020 August 2020 February 2019 November 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What fruit did Adam and Eve eat in the Garden of Eden?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Banana Forbidden fruit Lemon Grape