RELS 232-01, Racism and the Bible, Fall 1998

Abstract

This course consists of three components: 1. An academic component (approx. 60% of the course), which will entail reading biblical texts in their historical and cultural setting and discussing how they apply to modern problems of racism and racial and ethnic prejudice. The objectives of this component are: a. To learn the content of biblical texts that relate to issues of racial, ethnic, and nationalistic bigotry. b. To learn the ancient historical and cultural context of those biblical texts in order to be able to evaluate the modern use of the Bible in matters of race relations. 2. An experiential component (approx. 10%), which will entail shared experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Examples include visits to local museums, exhibitions, and seminars and guest speakers or panelists in the classroom. The objective of this component is to cultivate the ability to listen sympathetically to and to see things from the perspective of a person of another racial/ethnic identity. 3. A service-learning component (approx. 30%), which will entail working with a local agency in some effort of racial reconciliation. The objectives of this component are: a. To become aware of the efforts toward racial reconciliation ongoing in Memphis b. To observe the difficulties faced by such efforts c. To reflect on and evaluate such efforts in light of the texts in the Bible The service-learning component is described in greater detail below.