Rev. Michael Burch was raised in Northern California. He served faith communities on both coasts before coming to Shell Ridge Community Church in 2018 as a transitional minister.
Rev. Burch was ordained in American Baptist Churches, USA, in 1994. He completed seminary training in the Graduate Theological Union-UC Berkeley joint MA program and later at Brown University.
Rev. Burch has taught in religion departments in California and Rhode Island universities, and continues to serve as visiting faculty at the American Baptist Seminary of the West (GTU, Berkeley).
Rev. Burch's ministry experience began in historic New England churches including The First Baptist Church in America (ca. 1638) in Providence, RI, a birthplace of religious liberty. He has also served at
Providence Community Church, RI (ca. 1805) and Lime Rock Baptist Church, RI (ca. 1831).
After returning to California Rev. Burch served at a non-denominational interfaith congregation in Berkeley prior to coming to Shell Ridge. He is a board member for BOCA (Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action), an interfaith non-profit that organizes faith communities for social action.
Rev. Burch was ordained in American Baptist Churches, USA, in 1994. He completed seminary training in the Graduate Theological Union-UC Berkeley joint MA program and later at Brown University.
Rev. Burch has taught in religion departments in California and Rhode Island universities, and continues to serve as visiting faculty at the American Baptist Seminary of the West (GTU, Berkeley).
Rev. Burch's ministry experience began in historic New England churches including The First Baptist Church in America (ca. 1638) in Providence, RI, a birthplace of religious liberty. He has also served at
Providence Community Church, RI (ca. 1805) and Lime Rock Baptist Church, RI (ca. 1831).
After returning to California Rev. Burch served at a non-denominational interfaith congregation in Berkeley prior to coming to Shell Ridge. He is a board member for BOCA (Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action), an interfaith non-profit that organizes faith communities for social action.
Words on Tyranny and Courage
Rev. Michael Burch
I share your sadness, disappointment, embarrassment and outrage over the sacking of the nation's capital on January 6th and the subsequent loss of life. I also trust that we share a determination to walk with integrity and face tyranny with resolve. We are in good company calling out tyranny and tyrants.
Plato wrote about many things, including tyranny. Later people like Jefferson and Franklin would also hold Plato in esteem when drafting democratic ideas.
Plato wrote in The Misery of Tyrants; "He who is the real tyrant, whatever people may think, is the real slave, and is obliged to practice the greatest self-flattery and servility, and to be the flatterer of the meanest of humanity. He has desires which he is utterly unable to satisfy, and has more wants than anyone, and he is truly poor, if you know how to inspect his entire soul. All his life long he's beset with fear and is full of turmoil and distractions."
Plato understood the soul of tyrants and the empty, co-dependent relationship they offer persons who are themselves so fearful and desperate as to be constantly vulnerable to deception. Such persons find chaos more appealing than a social order that delegitimizes the systemic unfairness they have been accustomed to (re: "White patriarchy"). We are witnessing what Plato described; a dangerous and dysfunctional relationship between a tyrant and persons characterized by perpetual fear and rage.
The mob violence at our Capitol is not about an election stolen. Their unsubstantiated election fraud is a cover for underlying grievances. The current rage is about people who are and have been, on the outside looking in for sometime. They cannot accommodate the nation's evolving views on equality, fairness, and a respect for diversity that cuts across race, nationality, gender, sexuality, religious freedom and human rights in general. Social power is shifting (has shifted) away from White exclusiveness and privilege. In response the tyrant promises the disillusioned protection from a culture that is trading social homogeneity for multiculturalism and diversity (“Cancel Culture” = I feel left out). Plato added, "people always have some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness..this and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; as he first appears as protector."
Such words likely influenced Thomas Jefferson who said, "Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry." When a tyrant stirs up the citizenry into a violent riot against his own colleagues, and the mob is pursued for arrest while the tyrannical instigator golfs or pardon's himself.. well, this would qualify. The protection promises of a tyrant are meaningless.
This is an unprecedented time in more ways than one. So let us also live in unprecedented ways. Let us eagerly meet this moment with courage, steadfastness and a spiritual center. Do not fear, we have been called to this time. "In righteousness you'll be established; you will be far from tyranny, for you won't be afraid.’ (Isaiah 54:14)
Rev. Michael Burch
I share your sadness, disappointment, embarrassment and outrage over the sacking of the nation's capital on January 6th and the subsequent loss of life. I also trust that we share a determination to walk with integrity and face tyranny with resolve. We are in good company calling out tyranny and tyrants.
Plato wrote about many things, including tyranny. Later people like Jefferson and Franklin would also hold Plato in esteem when drafting democratic ideas.
Plato wrote in The Misery of Tyrants; "He who is the real tyrant, whatever people may think, is the real slave, and is obliged to practice the greatest self-flattery and servility, and to be the flatterer of the meanest of humanity. He has desires which he is utterly unable to satisfy, and has more wants than anyone, and he is truly poor, if you know how to inspect his entire soul. All his life long he's beset with fear and is full of turmoil and distractions."
Plato understood the soul of tyrants and the empty, co-dependent relationship they offer persons who are themselves so fearful and desperate as to be constantly vulnerable to deception. Such persons find chaos more appealing than a social order that delegitimizes the systemic unfairness they have been accustomed to (re: "White patriarchy"). We are witnessing what Plato described; a dangerous and dysfunctional relationship between a tyrant and persons characterized by perpetual fear and rage.
The mob violence at our Capitol is not about an election stolen. Their unsubstantiated election fraud is a cover for underlying grievances. The current rage is about people who are and have been, on the outside looking in for sometime. They cannot accommodate the nation's evolving views on equality, fairness, and a respect for diversity that cuts across race, nationality, gender, sexuality, religious freedom and human rights in general. Social power is shifting (has shifted) away from White exclusiveness and privilege. In response the tyrant promises the disillusioned protection from a culture that is trading social homogeneity for multiculturalism and diversity (“Cancel Culture” = I feel left out). Plato added, "people always have some champion whom they set over them and nurse into greatness..this and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; as he first appears as protector."
Such words likely influenced Thomas Jefferson who said, "Tyranny is defined as that which is legal for the government but illegal for the citizenry." When a tyrant stirs up the citizenry into a violent riot against his own colleagues, and the mob is pursued for arrest while the tyrannical instigator golfs or pardon's himself.. well, this would qualify. The protection promises of a tyrant are meaningless.
This is an unprecedented time in more ways than one. So let us also live in unprecedented ways. Let us eagerly meet this moment with courage, steadfastness and a spiritual center. Do not fear, we have been called to this time. "In righteousness you'll be established; you will be far from tyranny, for you won't be afraid.’ (Isaiah 54:14)