Reconciliation aspects are as many as different societies and cultures. There are religious, socio-cultural, economic, political, Psychological and juridical, aspects of reconciliations to mention a few. This course analyzes the racial reconciliation. The course focuses on the holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda, the apartheid in South Africa, the racial tension between China and Japan, and the racial conflict in the United States.
This course will enable students to understand racial conflict beyond the color of skin and explore the history and theory of racial tension in the societies that are impacted by racial hatred and division. The theories and justifications used to hate, segregate, dominate, exploit and eliminate others is examined in the light of biblical theology.
For any healthy Christian mind, racism is an irrational act and behavior of people who are racist. However, behind every racial conflict there is rational ground for those who are implementing it without any conflict of conscious. This course explores the philosophical, anthropological, theological, and economic reasons of racism in society.
Paul’s concept of sin, how it affects the thoughts and actions of all humankind becomes known in the lecture, reading and writing assignments for this class. Every society has a potential to be racist; thorough biblical knowledge elucidate the problem.
Biblical diagnosis of racial problem leads to a biblical solution, which is the redemptive work of God through Jesus Christ. “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,…” (Eph. 2:14). Unfortunately, in the case of the holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda, the apartheid in South Africa and the racial problem in the U.S., the church has played a part. The course examines the failure of the church in doing the mission of God.
Christianity is not an abstract construct dangling in the air. It is a concrete relational faith, which should be demonstrated in both word and deed. Each racial conflict is examined in its own cultural context with the historical, cultural, economic and theological factors that caused the racial conflict.
Students will recognize that racial problem transcends skin color, cultural and geographical boundaries. In conflict and peace, humankind has commonality. Rather than taking the path of isolationist, student will learn how to be good citizens of the global community and play the role of a peacemaker.
Racial conflict deprives intellectual and emotional freedom both to the victims and to the victors. It dehumanizes people and leads to the destruction of cultural, social, family, and infrastructures. Students of this course are learning how to be a good “physicians” to such challenging and never dying social ailment.
Through participant observation, by watching the movie or reading the book “Black Like Me” by John Howard Griffin, Roots, or one movie about the Holocaust students will experience and comprehend the dark face of racial conflict and its impact on people.
