For Adam Allen this past week, the lectionary coincided with a passage in James (5:13-20) that was pivotal for him in a move toward a more community-centered and anabaptist faith. As a chaplain in a hospital context, Adam offers solidarity with those who need confession. His touchpoint with James is the call to “confess to one another … and you will be healed.”

At a recent hospital event, a tea for the soul with hospital staff, one doctor remained behind to talk about the challenges his patients were carrying. Their need, and the need of this doctor, was for solidarity. Rather than the forgiveness of sins in response to confession described in 1 John, this confession expresses a need for healing. This shifted Adam’s understanding of sin. Even as a prison guard, his work prior to chaplaincy, Adam felt that people were intrinsically good. People in general seemed to be doing their best, and bad decisions were most often tied to self-preservation and survival. As opposed to a point of transgression, sin seems to be a condition in need of healing.

As he encountered these thoughts, he came into contact with liberation theology — a movement that began in the 1960’s in Latin America. Priests were calling the church to side with oppressed people rather than the governments who were oppressing them. Within this framework, sin might be better described as oppression. And we are all under forms of oppression from which we need freedom, whether things like emotional challenges or addiction, or broader systemic oppression.

Hear more from Adam — including a beautiful closing story: The Hands of God.