Holiness and Reconciliation in Regard to the Prison, the Prisoner, and the Victim Olivia Metcalf, Metro New York District THRIVE event 1. John Wesley–Castle Prison and Aldersgate–being proximate a. Wesley experienced his heartwarming encounter with God while also working in the prison i. The experience of Entire Sanctification is closely linked to our act of mercy and service in our tradition ii. Wesley intended for all of those who followed Jesus to engage in a ministry of proximity to those who were suffering 1. Being proximate/close to/in relationship with the incarcerated is a scriptural mandate a. We do this because Jesus told us to 2. Being proximate/close to/in relationship with the incarcerated is a means of grace for the one who moves toward the prison a. This isn’t merely the one who moves toward offering grace, but in our tradition, we receive God’s grace from those we visit–they are not those we shower grace upon, but those who shower grace upon us. We are saved together according to Wesley. 2. Phineas Bresee–A heart for the hurting–being proximate a. In the first Manual of the Church of the Nazarene, members were meant to seek to “do good to the bodies and souls of men. Feeding the hungry, clothing the destitute, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and ministering to the needy, as opportunity and ability are given.” i. In all of our charity work early on, prison ministry wasn’t something that was well organized or documented. Why? 1. Prevailing thoughts about being “tough on crime” became the norm in the broader culture and impacted the church b. A dualism that has devastated our witness i. Body vs Soul–prison ministry is often about saving souls and not paying attention to the harm caused to the bodies of people. 1. Poverty 2. Over policing 3. Racism 4. Lack of education 5. A system that is built to harm not heal a. This is not our theology! How can our theology help us to care about souls and bodies? 3. Theology for Living, Living for Theology–being proximate a. Talk about how our theology should compel us to engage i. Image of God in all people–God humanizes all of us, we should not dehumanize others ii. Prevenient Grace–God is at work in all places, in all people, and at all times iii. Entire Sanctification–Manual paragraph 28.3–what is our response to be to the world around us? We are made holy in perfect love to love perfectly 4. What then shall we do to be saved?--Being proximate a. Repentance i. Knowing the sins that have been committed to give us the prisons we have created requires us to repent of what happened before we were alive ii. Now that we know, we realize that we are currently culpable for the broken systems of the world. A person made holy in perfect love will not continue to let broken systems destroy the bodies and souls of our neighbors iii. Communal repentance–I need to repent, but there is power when we together repent b. Restoration i. Restorative Justice practices fit Restoration i. Restorative Justice practices fit a Wesleyan Holiness theological leaning and way of living (Praxis) 1. Asks important questions that are different from the questions the criminal justice system asks: Who has been hurt? What do they need? Whose obligations and responsibilities are these? Who has a stake in this situation? What is the process that can involve the stakeholders in finding a solution? Howard Zehr a. Restorative justice leads to lower rates of recidivism (repeat offending/being imprisoned again), it demonstrates high rates of satisfaction for the victim in comparison the satisfaction rates with the court system, it saves money, and it changes communities. ii. Prison education in Nazarene Schools 1. Share my personal story–The book Just Mercy, started volunteering, started taking university students with me, taught a class for the university inside the prison a. Rule of Life book, the practice of kneeling prayer and the inmates “kneeling at the bunk by the bathroom.” i. A sign of how being proximate can change us Benediction: May our movement look like the Kenotic movement of Christ who dwells among us and gravitates toward the marginalized. May our improvisation be shaped by the work of the Holy Spirit so we can rightfully view the world around us and share the good news in a way that is winsome and life-giving. May our fervor be balanced by wise structures, and may our structures not hinder our passion to be like Jesus. May we reckon with our broken history and oppressive systems, repenting and receiving forgiveness. May we respond to the grace we have received by honoring the dignity of all people and seeking restoration and holiness. And may we kneel at the bunk by the bathroom, making it an altar so we can be shaped to be the blessing we have been called to be, even behind the razor wire.

Sentete ak Rekonsilyasyon an Konsènan Prizon an, Prizonye a, ak Viktim nan Olivia Metcalf, Distri Metro New York Evènman THRIVE 1. John Wesley–Castle Prison ak Aldersgate–yo ki toupre a. Wesley te fè eksperyans rankont li ak Bondye pandan l ap travay nan prizon an tou. Eksperyans Tout Sanktifikasyon an byen lye ak zak mizèrikòd ak sèvis nou nan tradisyon nou an ii. Wesley te gen entansyon pou tout moun ki te swiv Jezi yo angaje yo nan yon ministè pwoksimite ak moun ki t ap soufri 1. Lè w pwoksimite/pwoche ak/nan relasyon ak moun ki nan prizon an se yon manda ekriti a. Nou fè sa paske Jezi te di nou 2. Lè w pwoksimite/pwoche/nan relasyon ak moun ki nan prizon an se yon mwayen gras pou moun ki deplase nan prizon an. Sa a se pa sèlman moun ki deplase nan direksyon pou ofri favè, men nan tradisyon nou an, nou resevwa favè Bondye a nan men moun nou vizite yo - yo pa moun nou douch lagras sou yo, men moun ki gaye favè sou nou. Nou sove ansanm dapre Wesley. 2. Phineas Bresee–Yon kè pou moun ki fè mal–yo te pwòch a. Nan premye Manyèl Legliz Nazarèt la, manm yo te vle chèche “fè byen nan kò ak nanm lèzòm. Nouri moun ki grangou, abiye moun ki pa gen anpil moun, vizite malad yo ak nan prizon, epi sèvi ak moun ki nan bezwen yo, jan yo bay opòtinite ak kapasite yo.” mwen.Nan tout travay charite nou yo byen bonè, ministè prizon pa t yon bagay ki te byen òganize oswa dokimante. Poukisa? 1. Panse ki dominan sou yo te "difisil ak krim" te vin nòmal nan kilti a pi laj ak enpak sou legliz la b. Yon dualism ki te devaste temwen nou an i. Kò vs Nanm-ministè prizon se souvan sou sove nanm epi pa peye atansyon sou mal ki te koze nan kò moun yo. 1. Povrete 2. Plis pase lapolis 3. Rasis 4. Mank edikasyon 5. Yon sistèm ki bati pou fè mal pa geri a. Sa a se pa teyoloji nou an! Ki jan teyoloji nou an ka ede nou pran swen nanm ak kò? 3. Teyoloji pou Viv, Viv pou Teyoloji–yo te pwòch a. Pale sou fason teyoloji nou an ta dwe fòse nou angaje i. Imaj Bondye nan tout moun–Bondye imanize nou tout, nou pa ta dwe dezumanize lòt moun ii. Grace Preventif–Bondye ap travay nan tout kote, nan tout moun, ak nan tout tan iii. Sanktifikasyon an antye–Manyèl paragraf 28.3–ki repons nou genyen pou monn ki antoure nou an? Nou vin sen nan lanmou pafè a pou nou renmen pafètman 4. Ki sa nou dwe fè pou n sove? Repantans mwen. Konnen peche ki te komèt pou ban nou prizon nou te kreye yo mande pou nou repanti pou sa ki te pase anvan nou te vivan ii. Kounye a ke nou konnen, nou reyalize ke nou se kounye a koupab pou sistèm yo kase nan mond lan.Yon moun ki vin sen nan lanmou pafè a pap kontinye kite sistèm ki kase detwi kò ak nanm vwazen nou yo iii. Repantans kominal—Mwen bezwen repanti, men gen pouvwa lè nou repanti ansanm b. Retablisman mwen. Pratik Jistis Restorativ anfòm Retablisman i. Pratik Jistis Restorativ anfòm yon fason teyolojik Wesleyan Holiness ak yon fason pou viv (Praxis) 1. Poze kesyon enpòtan ki diferan de kesyon sistèm jistis kriminèl la poze: Ki moun ki blese? Kisa yo bezwen? Ki obligasyon ak responsablite sa yo? Kiyès ki gen yon pati nan sitiyasyon sa a? Ki pwosesis la ki ka enplike moun ki gen enterè yo nan jwenn yon solisyon? Howard Zehr a. Jistis restorative mennen nan pi ba pousantaj nan recidivis (ofense repete / yo te nan prizon ankò), li demontre pousantaj satisfaksyon segondè pou viktim nan konpare to satisfaksyon yo ak sistèm tribinal la, li ekonomize lajan, epi li chanje kominote yo. ii. Edikasyon Prizon nan Lekòl Nazarèt yo 1. Pataje istwa pèsonèl mwen–Liv Just Mercy, te kòmanse fè sèvis kòm volontè, te kòmanse pran etidyan inivèsite avè m, te anseye yon klas pou inivèsite anndan prizon an a. Liv Rule of Life, pratik lapriyè ajenou ak prizonye yo “mete ajenou nan kabann nan bò twalèt la”. mwen.Yon siy ki montre kijan lè nou pwoksimite ka chanje nou Benediksyon: Se pou mouvman nou an sanble ak mouvman Kenotik Kris la ki rete nan mitan nou epi ki gravite nan direksyon moun ki majinalize yo. Se pou travay Lespri Sen an fòme enpwovizasyon nou an pou nou kapab byen wè monn ki antoure nou an epi pataje bon nouvèl la nan yon fason ki bèl e ki bay lavi. Se pou ferveur nou ekilibre pa estrikti ki gen sajès, epi se pou estrikti nou yo pa anpeche pasyon nou pou nou tankou Jezi. Se pou nou konte ak istwa kraze ak sistèm opresyon nou yo, repanti ak resevwa padon. Se pou nou reponn a favè nou te resevwa a nan onore diyite tout moun epi chèche restorasyon ak sentete. Epi se pou nou mete ajenou nan etaj la bò twalèt la, fè l 'yon lotèl pou nou ka jwenn fòm nan benediksyon nou te rele yo dwe, menm dèyè fil razwa a.