The Eden ethos equips and supports action to do ministry in, with, and for community. That commitment to community requires the ability and resources to adapt in the midst of challenging and difficult situations – resilience. In this spirit, we invite you to join in prayer and action with Rev. Dr. Kristen Leslie in her current role as spiritual advisor to Christopher Collings as he faces execution by the state of Missouri next week.
Dr. Leslie retired from full-time teaching at Eden Seminary in the spring of 2024. She is now faculty emerita. During her speech at Commencement 2024, she encouraged graduates in their vocations in community. In the words of feminist theologian Letty Russell, “to partner in the mending of creation.” Dr. Leslie continues to act through that lens of ministry. She continues to co-lead the Eden Garden & Gleaning project, work with unhoused people through the St. Louis Winter Outreach, and share her scholarly work with Eden’s new Ministry Cohorts.
Recently, Dr. Leslie joined the pool of professional chaplains willing to serve as a spiritual advisor with people in Missouri imprisoned and facing execution by the state. Earlier in her career, Kristen served as consultant with the U.S. military to support victims of sexual assault and violence. So, it was a moment of vocational discernment when Christopher Collings, convicted of a similar crime, selected her as his spiritual advisor as he faces a date of execution by the state of Missouri, scheduled for Tuesday, December 3 at 6 pm CT.
Dr. Leslie now journeys with Christopher in that role. In the role of spiritual advisor, Kristen has visited several times with Chris in these weeks preceding his execution date. If the execution goes forward, Kristen will be one of three people in the room with him at the time of his death. She is committed to the reality that no one should be defined by the worst thing they have ever done, even when that thing is horrible.
The advocacy organization, Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, has identified multiple legal failures with the court case and tells the story of Christopher’s transformation during imprisonment. Lawyers are working on a clemency action to commute the sentence to life in prison without parole rather execution that functions as state-sanctioned killing. Learn more about Christopher’s story and consider signing the petition here to support that action. Click here. Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty.
As spiritual advisor, Dr. Leslie is an active presence with Christopher in these days. She listens to his stories and interacts with him as he experiences a series of “last” events, including visits with his best friend and daughters. She observes testimony of Christopher’s transformation through the prison’s restorative justice programs including the Puppies of Parole program through which he trained rescue dogs for adoption and his support for both inmates and prison staff demonstrating compassion and empathy. Kristen contemplates the difference between deaths for which she has been present that are not timed, and this government-initiated act of death.
Kristen’s walk with Christopher in these last days has included her congregation. In mid-November, not only were Kristen and Christopher included in the pastoral prayer, but the congregation laid hands on Kristen to embody that walk together. And it includes you, those who are part of the Eden community – influenced by the Eden ethos of vocational resilience.
Please join Dr. Leslie in prayer as she continues to journey with Christopher. And consider your own vocational resilience.
Kristen reflects that the acts of ministry in which she is engaging are the ones religious professionals regularly engage – listening, reflecting, journeying beside. And yet, she is at the center of history in the moment when Missouri decides whether the state will rely on execution as retributive justice or practice restorative justice. Our own pastoral actions sometimes may seem mundane, but they too are at the heart of the history of the moment with the people and the community with which we journey. We never know when practicing our vocation can change history toward God’s intention to gift and to love all.
The Eden ethos of ministry in, with, and for community prepares us to be ready when called upon for the actions that change lives. We journey with each other when called upon to practice pastoral care in the public square that impacts one and many.
