Resources for the radical justice and faith-based life.
ORDERING RESOURCES
Digital copies of many of our resources are available below. If you’re looking for print copies, you can contact the SCM Canada office at info@scmcanada.org
FAITH & JUSTICE DEVOTIONALS
These can be used as Bible studies, for personal reflection and nourishment, or group prayer:
Glory to the Gender-Bending God – This is a devotional that explores common experiences of trans people and how they correlate to themes appearing in the Bible. Through this devotional, we hope to affirm the lived experiences of trans people and celebrate trans folks as people of faith. Do name changes, chosen family, and struggling against institutions sound familiar? They should, because all these experiences echo throughout both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. (Full Devotional/Mini Devotional)
The devotional has two accompanying resources:
Disability, Faith and Justice Devotional – The Bible has plenty to say about bodies – defining clean or unclean, whole or injured or diseased, and how to relate to these bodies. We relate to our brother Jesus as a body too – even in the elements of the communion table. Most of us have been formed in societies that assume bodies that look and function in particular ways are ‘normal’. Yet some of us are disabled by a society that fails to recognise the needs of certain bodies, and builds physical and cultural structures that are inaccessible to these bodies. This devotional calls us to address these realities. (Copy for print)
Feminist Devotional – Use this devotional in your small group; each section has discussion questions. Members of SCM Ottawa created this devotional to help us reflect on the pain patriarchy and sexism can inflict on us, but also to realize the strength of sisterhood. Jesus committed offensive acts according to the authorities of his time when he spoke to the woman at the well, and when he let a woman wash his feet. (Reading Copy / Copy for print.)
Migrant Justice Devotional – This devotional will support you on reflecting on migrant justice in the current context of increasingly xenophobic sentiments. We recognize that Jesus our liberator was a refugee and we understand borders and fences as hindering people’s free movement for opportunity, freedom from violence, and life. (Reading Copy / Copy for print.)
Peace & Non-Violence Devotional – This devotional is meant as a first step on the path towards non-violence – to awaken your curiosity to the power of non-violence for positive change in the world and to provide a framework for praying for peace. (Reading Copy)
Revolutionary Devotional – Reflecting ancient tradition in new ways, we have given each day of the week a reading, reflection and mantra for meditation, as well as some ideas on prayer. Solidarity! (Reading Copy)
A Devotional for Lent (WSCF Publication) – This devotional is a collection of words and images to lead you into reflection, guide you in prayer, and inspire your steps. Contributors, many of them theological students, represent a diversity of perspectives from across North America. Whether you use this devotional individually or with a group, please know that you are not traveling alone. You are joined by friends in faith across North America, and perhaps, around the globe.
BIBLE STUDIES
Queer and Christian Without Contradiction Bible_Study – five Bible Studies with accompanying resources, created by the SCM in 2007 as part of a campaign supported by the Liberty Hill Foundation.
The Poor People’s Campaign – a series of 90 minute collaborative Bible Studies from the new Poor People’s Campaign, exploring resistance, survival, faith and action in the contemporary USA, including:
- Somebody’s Hurting Our People and It’s Gone On Far Too Long
- Study War no More: Driven Insane by the War Economy
- Additional resources
The Cleansing of the Temple – A Bible Study workshop which explores the famous action where Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. Participants respond by naming the oppressive powers and symbolically overturning them as a liturgical act of resistance, praying for God’s guidance in the work of justice to come. Prepared by SCM York.
Unsettling the Word: The Study Guide – SCM Canada prepared this study guide for groups to engage the 2018 Book ‘Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization’, which is available from CommonWord.ca. The book (and the study guide) address sections of scripture with significant history of being used to support colonial violence, or the potential to help disentangle that history.
This is the first part of three planned guides, and contains all you need to run up to 23 sessions!
LITURGIES
We are adding to this collection of rad liturgies, so if you happen to write one, email us at info@scmcanada.org and we can make you famous.
A Peace Liturgy for Advent 2 – created by Partera, a faith-based peace-building organization. Intended for use on the second Sunday of Advent, ‘Peace’. The resource includes a call to worship, hymns, a poetic reflection on the Bible texts, prayers, and a sending/blessing.
Alternative Remembrance Day Prayer– tired of Remembrance Day celebrations? We are too. Here is an anti-war litany to read on Remembrance Day as an alternative. This was read at the School of Americas vigil and protest that SCM attended annually.
Liturgy on Peace– another anti-war liturgy to read in your group from the blog of one of our SCM senior friends; we’ve included a link to his blog in the document.
Liturgy on Climate Justice – created by the WSCF. Former WSCF Chairperson Rev. Ejike Okoro of Nigeria has prepared the 2010 UDPS liturgy and accompanying Bible study on behalf of the Africa region.
Liturgy on Migrant Justice -Liturgy prepared by WSCF Europe Region and WSCF Inter-Regional Office, Geneva on migrant justice.
Liturgy on Migrant Justice – created by a former member of SCM Saskatoon and is also published in SCM’s Epistle (2009)
A Liturgy for the Many Women in Situations of Violence – From: Reflective Liturgy for SCM Women, WSCF Asia-Pacific, Feb 2004, created by Sonia George, India
Liturgies for December 6th, Canada’s national ‘Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women – a link to the website of the Women’s Inter-Church Council.
Water for Sustainable Development– 2018 Season of Creation resource, by SCM India.
PUBLICATIONS
You can download, adapt, share and print these freely. If you’d like a physical copy mailed to you, contact the SCM office!
The Jesus ABCs – a fun and thought-provoking set of drawings illustrating Jesus and the many aspects of his life on Earth. The poster is available from the SCM office, or you can browse the 26 drawings, scanned and uploaded for Lent 2017.
SCM Epistle 2009 – Featuring articles on gender and sexuality diversity from a theological perspectives, an exclusive play, photographs, and poetry.
Stop Homophobia in the Churches – This pamphlet looks at how scripture can be reclaimed to resist homophobia, and calls for affirmation and celebration of LGBTQ identities.
GROUP RESOURCES
Building a Student Christian Movement local unit isn’t easy – and the Canada Office is here to help your efforts. In order to support SCM groups and those who take on the role of coordinating, we gather resources and guides for groups on the Group Resources page.
Is there a question you’d like us to answer or a resource you’d like to see? Get in touch and let us know!
RESOURCES FOR QUEER CHRISTIANS
We’ve compiled a collection of resources for our LGBTQ members and supporters, which can be found on our Queer & Christian Resources Page.