Recap and Reconnect: Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt

Peace Talks Podcast

Recap and reconnect: Dr. elissa yukiko weichbrodt

Peace Talks in Practice

about this episode

Join Bishop Todd Hunter and the Center’s Director of Content and Community, Katie Haseltine, as they recap Vanessa’s interview with Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt.

Then enjoy a guided contemplative meditation led by Vanessa Sadler. Vanessa will read Galatians 5:22-23 several times while inviting you to notice what God might be saying to you through the passage. Reconnect to your heart and God’s with this powerful spiritual practice.

Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt

Peace Talks Podcast

Dr. elissa yukiko weichbrodt

Center for Formation Justice and Peace Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt Headshot

about

Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt is an Associate Professor of Art and Art History at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and a Little Endowed Scholar. She received her M.A. and Ph.D. from Washington University in St. Louis. As a biracial Japanese-white woman, she has navigated the joys and tensions of a hybrid identity.

Weichbrodt has published on topics ranging from contemporary Black photographers to the patronage of Hawaiian landscape paintings to documentary photographs of Japanese Americans during World War II. She also enjoys writing for general audiences on the intersection of art history, politics, and pop culture. Her first book, Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art, was published by Baker Academic in 2023 and received an Award of Merit from Christianity Today and the Arts and Culture Book Award from The Gospel Coalition.

Quotable

“Jesus coming and becoming like us reiterates the dignity of this world, of our lived experience, the value that it has for us. And the promise of resurrection says it’s all gonna matter. This doesn’t all just go away—it is restored, it is resurrected. So for Christians, caring about art is really an extension of our belief in the importance of the creation, an extension of our belief in the miracle of the incarnation, an extension of our belief in the hope of the resurrection.”

Laura James

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Laura James

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about

Laura James has been working as a professional artist and illustrator for over twenty years. In addition to painting sacred images from various religions, she portrays women, families, and scenes of everyday life; blending intricate patterns, text, vibrant colors and sometimes surreal imagery into what she calls “art for the people.”

Laura is also a valuable member of her community, and is the originator and Executive Director of BX200: Bronx Visual Artists Directory, an online database of some of the Bronx’s best visual artists. Ms. James has recently completed a special commission for the American Museum of Natural History, as well as illustrations for her second children’s book. She lives and works in the Bronx, NY.

Quotable

“Something that people will say about my work is that Jesus is right in there with the people. He’s not above. He’s not pointing fingers. He’s right in there with the people. And it’s not hard to imagine him that way because that’s what it says in the Bible.”

J.S. Park

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J.S. Park

J. S. Park Headshot

about

J. S. Park is a hospital chaplain, published author, viral blogger, and teaching pastor. He has spent the past six years as an interfaith chaplain at a 1000+ bed hospital that is designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. His role includes grief counseling; attending every death, every trauma and Code Blue; assisting with end-of-life care; and supporting patient and family advocacy. He also serves as a chaplain at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast. 

J. S. has a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, completed in 2010. He has a BA in Psychology from the University of South Florida. He also has a sixth-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. 

J. S. currently lives in Tampa, Florida with his wife, a nurse practitioner, and his baby daughter and half German Shepherd.

Quotable

“No amount of self-care can take away the grief of the world.”

Dr. Barbara L. Peacock

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Dr. Barbara L Peacock

Dr Barbara Peacock Headshot

about

Dr. Barbara L. Peacock is the award-winning author of Soul Care in African American Practice. She received the Award of Merit from Christianity Today, and the Martin Institute for Christianity and Culture and Dallas Willard Award (MIDWC) announced Soul Care in African American Practice as the book of the year in 2021. In addition, she received an award from Christianity for Biblical Equity (Mutuality) and is a finalist with the Museum of African American History Museum (Boston) and with Black Authors Matter.

Dr. Peacock is founder of Peacock Soul Care (PSC). PSC is an institution that offers a certificate of completion in Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Formation for persons seeking the deeper journey with God. PSC is an inclusive Christocentric institute and is the first African American institute that offers these two certificates. PSC also offers special Soul Care Leadership classes for persons that would like to take semester classes.

Dr. Peacock received her Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina Central University, Durham, NC; her master’s degree from Princeton Theological Seminary and holds a Doctorate of Ministry from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. Her dissertation emphasis was Spiritual Direction for Ministry Leaders.

She is a passionate spiritual director, preacher, teacher, and intercessor. She serves as a spiritual leader for individuals and groups, desiring them to experience a deeper relationship with God. She is committed to serving with the Charlotte-based True Value of a Woman Ministry, BraveWorks, and for Charlotte Prayer Network. She served as a national speaker with the Exponential Group, a fundraising organization founded by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson.

Dr. Peacock enjoys traveling, writing, and exercising. She is married to Gilbert and they are the owners of Freedom Financial Advantage. The Peacock’s have one daughter, Vernee. She is married to Michael. They and the Peacock’s grandchildren, Eden and Eliah, reside in Milton, MA.

Quotable

“How can I better represent Christ? Grow closer to him? Better love my neighbor?”

Kaitlin Curtice

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Kaitlin Curtice

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about

In honor of Indigenous People’s Day, we bring you Kaitlin Curtice. She is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As an enrolled citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity and how that shifts throughout our lives. She also speaks on these topics to diverse audiences who are interested in truth-telling and healing.

Her new book, Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day, examines the journey of resisting the status quo of hate by caring for ourselves, one another, and Mother Earth.

Besides her books, Kaitlin has written online for Sojourners, Religion News Service, Apartment Therapy, On Being, SELF Magazine, Oprah Daily and more. Her work has been featured on CBS and in USA Today. She also writes at The Liminality Journal. Kaitlin lives in Philadelphia with her family.

Quotable

“We’re all searching for Jesus in a haystack full of Jesuses. We can’t find him. So instead of a needle, it’s like a bunch of churches with a bunch of Jesuses and we’re trying to figure out which one is the one.”

Eugene Cho

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Eugene Cho

Rev. Eugene Cho President and CEO

about

Eugene is President/CEO of Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger.

Eugene co-chairs the U.S. Nutrition CEO Council, the body of leaders from international NGOs encouraging the U.S. government, civil society, corporations, and other stakeholders to make global nutrition expertise into law and policy. He serves on the board of Interaction; on the Coordinating Committee for the Circle of Protection; and as visionary for One Day’s Wages.

Prior to becoming President/CEO of Bread for the World, Eugene pastored a local church for nearly thirty years.

Quotable

“Too many of us are trying to have hard conversations without relationship. We must learn to engage in the art of neighboring first.”

Cindy S. Lee

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Cindy S. Lee

Cindy S. Lee Peace Talks Headshot

about

Cindy S. Lee is a spiritual director, urban explorer, and author (Our Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formation). She has a PhD in practical theology in the area of spiritual formation from Claremont School of Theology and a DMin in transformational leadership from Bakke Graduate University.
 
Lee lived in Beijing and Taipei for six years and currently resides in Los Angeles. She is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary. Lee also leads formation retreats and workshops and mentors new spiritual directors.

Quotable

“The unforming and re-forming work for us all is to decenter whiteness in our experience of God and to open up space in ourselves and in our communities for radically new experiences.”

Lisa Sharon Harper

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Lisa Sharon Harper

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about

Lisa Sharon Harper is a prolific speaker, author, and activist and the founder and president of FreedomRoad.us. Ms. Harper is the author of several books, including The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong can be Made Right (2016) and Fortune: How Race Broke My Family and the World (2022).

A columnist at Sojourners Magazine and an Auburn Theological Seminary Senior Fellow, Ms.Harper has appeared on TVOne, FoxNews Online, NPR, and Al Jazeera America. Her writing has been featured in CNN Belief Blog, The National Civic Review, Sojourners, The Huffington Post, Relevant Magazine, and Essence Magazine. She writes extensively on shalom and governance, immigration reform, health care reform, poverty, racial and gender justice, climate change, and transformational civic engagement.

Quotable

“Jesus came to free the image of God on earth.”

Resources

Shane Claiborne

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shane claiborne

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about

Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author.  Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia.  He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living “as if Jesus meant the things he said.” Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq and Afghanistan to stand against war. Now grace fuels his passion to end the death penalty and help stop gun violence.

Shane’s books include Jesus for President, Red Letter Revolution, Common Prayer, Follow Me to Freedom, Jesus, Bombs and Ice Cream, Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers, Executing Grace, his classic The Irresistible Revolution, Beating Guns, and his newest book, Rethinking Life.

Quotable

“Where lynchings were happening a hundred years ago is where executions are happening today in America. And the states that held on to slavery the longest are the same states that have held on to the death penalty. So these things are really bound up together. 95% of executions are happening in the Bible Belt. The Bible Belt is the death belt. The death penalty would not stand a chance in America without the support of Christians. We would end it overnight if we decided we believe Jesus meant what he said, blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.”

Resources