Episode 3. Gabriela De Golia
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. These words, enshrined in the first amendment to the United States’ constitution, have a deep and storied history. Although the U.S. Constitution prohibits the formal endorsement of religion by the government, faith and politics are inescapably interwoven into American past, present, and future.
This episode reflects on this interconnectedness between faith and politics, taking us on a spiritual journey as we hear from to Gabriela De Golia, a pastor in training at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Growing up in a politically active neighborhood in San Francisco, Gabriela takes us from her time as a resident in this progressive community, to her early teenage years in France, and her political and spiritual activism during and beyond her college years. For Gabriela, political participation has always been a part of the fabric of her life, raised to be engaged in politics from a young age. But as she grew older and broadened her horizons, she realized that, while she deeply values the act of voting, not everyone has been afforded the same kind of access and efficacy from this act that she has.
Ultimately, for Gabriela, the vote ties back to her relationship with her communities and a belief that she exists in systems where there are larger forces at work than herself alone. She reflects on how the inescapable connections between communities and individuals has become painfully apparent in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Offering ministerial comfort and guidance, Gabriela gently challenges listeners to recognize the ways in which this crisis is revealing how deeply interconnected we are, and how we might support that interconnectedness through our political efforts, voting and otherwise. She offers hope for the possibility of rebirth and reconnection—politically, economically, and spiritually—as we emerge from this pandemic. You can learn more about Gabriela and her work on her website: Consulting With Muses.
