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Academic Programs
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Religion,
Conflict and Peacemaking
(TH-648-2)
Winter/Spring
2003 |
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course will explore the paradox of religion as a source of
division and conflict, on the one hand, and of peaceful
aspirations and compassionate, sacrificial service on the
other. Theoretical approaches to this paradox, drawn
from the Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions, will be
supplemented by practical case studies, with particular
attention given to the Israeli-Palestinian-Arab dispute over
the "Holy Land." How can our faith commitments
be effectively applied to promote intercommunal
reconciliation? How can our own lives exemplify a
peacemaking vocation in the face of religious extremists
within our own faith community and those of our neighbors?
These and related questions will be addressed, with a central
goal being to integrate the lessons learned from the readings
with our everyday challenges as peace-seekers.
Meeting
Day, Time and Dates:
Week of January 13 – 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Room 205
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Yehezkel
Landau
Faculty Associate in Interfaith Relations and Co-founder, Open
House, Ramle, IsraelContact
Information:
phone: (860)
509-9500
email:
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Course
Syllabus
Class web site
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January
13
A.M.
1. Self–introduction by Y. Landau
2. Course aims/methodology/requirements/grades
3. Get-acquainted exercise for participants
4. Ambivalence of the sacred
[Appleby, intro and ch. 1]
5. Institutionalized religion vs. religious
actors
Break
6.
“Holistic” Middle East peacemaking [Y. Landau article]
7. DISCUSSION
8. Letter from Prince Hassan
9. Gopin, pp. 178-9, on Prince Hassan and Gopin’s experience
of mutual gratitude
P.M.
1. Religion as a source of violence/hostility [Cobb in
September 11, Kimball, Juergensmeyer]
2. “Religious Responses to Atrocity” [Y. Landau article]
3. Identity formation: Religion
and Ethnicity/Nationality, Bosnia case study [Appleby, ch. 2]
4. Ends and means: Religious
justification for Violence vs.
Nonviolence, Victory vs.
Compromise
[OZ ve SHALOM
Materials;
Deut. 6:18]
Break
5. Jewish, Muslim, and Hindu religious extremism [Appleby, ch. 3]
6. DISCUSSION
January 14
A.M.
1. The power of foundational
stories/myths [Gopin, ch. 2]
2. Rabbinic hermeneutical typology, PaRDeS
3. Examples of midrashim
4. Abraham as model peacemaker: Text study
Break
5. Genesis liberation theology: sibling rivalry and Reconciliation
6. Isaac and Ishmael: SIMULATION
EXERCISE, Biblical characters and Jew/Arab
today
P.M.
1.
Jerusalem as mother-icon [Psalm 87, Corinthians]
2. “Sharing Jerusalem”—Armenians, Jews, Palestinians
[Y. Landau article]
3. Sarah and Hagar: SIMULATION
EXERCISE and DISCUSSION
January 15
A.M.
1. “Priestly” praxes of
reconciliation: truth, justice, and peace [Zech. 8]
2. Teshuvah and sulha [Gopin, Jabbour, Hourani]
3. Northern Ireland case study [Appleby, ch. 5]
4. South Africa case study [Muller-Fahrenholz, Wink]
5. Healing traumatic memories [Muller-Fahrenholz, Worsnip on Michael Lapsley]
6. Apology and forgiveness [Muller-Fahrenholz, MRA materials]
P.M.
1. Religion and conflict
management, resolution, trans-
Formation [Appleby, chs. 6 and 8; Gopin, part II]
2. Muslim approaches to reconciliation and peacebuilding
[Abu-Nimr,
Hourani, al Faruqi]
January 16
A.M.
1. Personal actors and
impact [Halevi]
2. The story of OPEN HOUSE,
Ramle, Israel
a. “Dalia” and “Bashir” SIMULATION EXERCISE
b. Listening to CD of “The
Lemon Tree” and DISCUSSION
Break
c. 2 video segments and DISCUSSION
3. Other cases studies from Israel/Palestine
P.M.
a.
Prayer: minimizing ego,
praying for adversaries
b. EXERCISE: COMPOSE
PEACE PRAYER
c. Meditation, contemplation,
Sabbath observance
d. Kinetic catharsis: martial arts, drumming, etc.
e. Compassionate/empathic
listening
f. Nonviolent
communication (Marshall Rosenberg)
g. Interfaith relationships as lifestyle-commitment
[Gopin, ch. 7]
h. Humanitarian aid to adversary or warring
parties
2. DISCUSSION:
Personal choice of discipline(s)
January 17
1. Forging a culture of peace(making)
2. Covenantal vs.
contractual relationships
3.
Nonviolent methods for addressing conflict:
Buddhist and Quaker consensus paradigm vs. Western adversarial/adjudication paradigm
4.
Truth-telling/confession instead of denial/repression and projection of evil onto adversary
5.
EXERCISE: DRAW YOUR OWN VISION OF PEACE
P.M.
OPEN DISCUSSION: How do we
apply what we’ve learned? What
peacemaking commitments will I make? What partners will I choose?
CLOSING PRAYER — SONG — DANCE
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