Kairos Time

Kairos is Greek for “right, critical, or opportune moment.” In Christian theology, it means “a spiritual opportunity” It’s a concept that focuses on the quality or meaning of moments that are transformative. (You can contrast it with “chronos”… this is the time we talk about/think about when we consider chronological time, or sequential time. It’s the time that “passes.” We often lay it out like a timeline. We use seconds, minutes, hours, etc.)

I recently read a blog posting from Jim Wallace of the magazine Sojourners.  He was reflecting on the kairos moment we, in the US and in the World, face right now in relation to systemic racism. he challenges all of us to engage right now in understanding this moment as one with the capacity to create transformative change.

from https://us.e-activist.com/page/email/click/10056/527544?email=IXbuKdxRPYUDfkUdrpdRoZmQCvNVYxKY&campid=6FGPYL0xGZGZkArzVWMSmA==

He notes that this moment in time “… is not just an issue for Black people to solve. White people, specifically white Christians, have a huge role in repenting and acting in the interest of protecting Black lives, our Black brothers and sisters. It is our responsibility to change our own behavior and our systems to make safety and space for Black people to thrive in our country and world.” 

He goes on to offer an excellent “reading list” especially for white people, and white Christians in particular “who want to deepen their understanding of systemic racism and anti-Blackness and strengthen their commitment to racial equity, justice, and healing.”

Why not join me in reading one or more of these recommended books? This entry into kairos time would be a pertinent way to spend our time in COVID-restricted life, don’t you think?