by the Rev. Dr. Jia Starr Brown, guest preacher and faith forum leader on Sunday, March 22, 2026
In true Godly fashion and form, Creator consistently calls and equips those who are considered outsiders to speak prophetic Truth to the people. Those in power, the insiders, are positioned to hear the voices of God through conduits – those who have been silenced.
Adding feminine characteristics to the divine – and “She” to Wisdom – is a radical response to the patriarchy that actively excludes women from divinity and wholeness. Its capitalization, even, speaks to Her authority and sovereignty. Women have authority, wisdom, and deserve to be heard.
Included.
Respected.
Honored.
Plainly, Harriet Tubman’s holy works of liberation would not typically be credited to a woman, even today. Men are consistently named as the courageous, the powerful, and the risk takers. Men are considered to be the history-makers and the trend setters (never you mind the fact that only men are invited to set the trend in the first place.)
For a woman to do the heavy lifting, both literally and figuratively, departs from the “meek and mild” expectation that we and Harriet have been assigned. Defying cultural norms, bypassing laws, coordinating underground freedom efforts – well, that is the stuff of men.
Right?
Warrior Tubman is a prime example of God’s empowering presence in the societally absent. Similar to Moses, the cultural seas that she parted would not have been possible without Divine’s hand. Just as calling God “She” widens our lens and language in regard to the identity of the Divine, it also speaks to the expansiveness of God’s reach. The ultimate Includer, even the most distanced are welcome into the circle, with a dedicated seat at the table just for them.
Together in sermon and study, we will explore Harriet’s ministry in tribute to God’s right-sizing of the world’s lopsided societal norms. Truly, when one of the societal least of these makes impact, we have a responsibility to take notice. Our continued goal: to better align with Kin-dom’s equitable scaffolding, open and accessible to all.
