Reconciliation and Forgiveness: Exploring Biblical and Contemporary Understandings

Transcription

1 CANADIAN SCHOOL OF PEACEBUILDING CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY Reconciliation and Forgiveness: Exploring Biblical and Contemporary Understandings Course number: BTS 5995 SESSION II: June 24-28, 2013 Course Syllabus INSTRUCTORS: Elaine Enns, M.A. and Ched Myers, M.A. TIMES: June 24-28, 9am-5pm COURSE DESCRIPTION This class will focus on challenges facing those who seek healing for historical violations, those who struggle with questions of personal and political forgiveness, and experiments in truth and reconciliation here in North America and internationally. This class will approach the theme from three angles. First, we will look at four New Testament texts that articulate a theological vision of restorative justice and peacemaking. Second, we will look at three analytical models we consider crucial to diverse practices of restorative justice and peacemaking today. Third, we will explore contemporary expressions of faith-based struggles for restorative justice and peacemaking in the work and witness of a variety of North American ambassadors of reconciliation. The course is offered either for training or for 3 hours of academic credit. CORE TEXTS: Ched Myers and Elaine Enns, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Vol I: New Testament Reflections on Restorative Justice and Peacemaking (Orbis Books, 2009). (Available on amazon). Elaine Enns and Ched Myers, Ambassadors of Reconciliation, Vol II: Diverse Christian Practices of Restorative Justice and Peacemaking (Orbis Books, 2009). (Available on amazon). An additional 1000 pages (graduate credit) from Additional Reading List below. COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES (for credit) 1

2 The following are the general outlines of requirements for those taking the class for credit. Others are encouraged to read as much as possible, however, in order to receive maximum benefit from the course. Assignments can be submitted in person during the course or via to the instructor. All papers should be 12 pt. type and double spaced, with each page having a header with student s name and date. 1. Pre-class Reading (20%). Read both volumes of Ambassadors of Reconciliation before first class. Turn in a one page response addressing the following questions for each volume (total 2 pp.): I was most surprised by ; I want to learn more about Due June Profile (30%). One in-class presentation profiling one ambassador of reconciliation that you identify (can be well- or little-known). This 15 min. presentation should use Powerpoint or other creative expression to tell a compelling story about a person or group who has embodied faith-based restorative justice and peacemaking. Provide history, context and motivations, using the testimonies in Part II of Ambassadors, Vol. II as a model. Student presentations will be interspersed throughout the class week, so be prepared to present by Monday, June 24. A 3 page summary of your presentation is due June Class participation (20%). Attend all classes, actively engage material, and participate in small groups, activities and discussion. 4. Final Book Report (30%). Choosing from the books in the Additional Reading list below, or book(s) of your choosing (with instructor approval), this assignment entails 1000 pages of additional reading. Write a comprehensive report on the reading, divided equally between a) critical summary of reading; b) your own evaluation of the relevance and coherence of the authors arguments/stories; c) your integration of the themes of the reading into themes of the course (15 pp). Due Aug 9. PROCESS FOR SUBMITTING AND RETURNING ASSIGNMENTS: Assignments can be submitted in person during the course or via to the instructor, elaineenns@bcm-net.org, chedmyers@bcm-net.org. The instructor will return marked papers via . STYLISTIC REQUIREMENTS: CMU has adopted the following as its standard guide for all academic writing: Diana Hacker s A Pocket Style Manual. Fifth edition. Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, The final paper should follow an accepted academic format for citations, bibliography, etc. (e.g. APA, Chicago). You may choose the format, but whichever you use, be sure to use it properly and consistently. EVALUATION: In evaluating your work, quality is more important than quantity. We appreciate creativity, clear expression of ideas, evidence of engagement with the reading and class sessions, and projects that are of real interest and value to you. Good communication skills are essential for justice and peacebuilding work. Students 2

3 will be expected to communicate knowledgeably, clearly, effectively, concisely and persuasively. All written work should be well informed, organized and documented. In your papers, be sure to avoid any form of plagiarism. If you have doubts about what is appropriate, a useful website is Plagiarism is a serious issue and will result in grade reduction or action by the university (see university policy on this). Each completed assignment will be given a numerical grade (according to its value toward the final grade) and the corresponding letter grade. The final mark for each student is determined by the sum total of all numerical grades, which is then assigned a letter grade according to the scale below: Letter Grade Percentage Grade Points Descriptor A Exceptional A Excellent B Very Good B Good C Satisfactory C Adequate D Marginal F 0-49 Failure Criteria CONTENT (quality of the information/ ideas and sources/details used to support them) STRUCTURE (logical order or sequence of the writing) A - Excellent B - Competent C - Below Expectations - has clarity of purpose - has depth of content - displays insight or originality of thought -demonstrates quality and breadth of resources - is coherent and logically developed -uses very effective transitions - has clarity of purpose - has substantial information and sufficient support - contains some originality of thought -uses quality resources - is coherent and logically developed -uses smooth transitions - has clarity of purpose -lacks depth of content and may depend on generalities or the commonplace - has little originality of thought -uses mostly quality resources - is coherent and logically (but not fully) developed -has some awkward transitions CONVENTIONS (appearance of the writing: sentence structure, usage, mechanics, documentation) - has virtually no errors of conventions - has minimal errors of conventions - is understandable but has noticeable problems of sentence structure, usage, mechanics or documentation 3

4 STYLE (personality of the writing: word choice, sentence variety, voice, attention to audience) - is concise, eloquent and rhetorically effective -has nicely varied sentence structure -is engaging throughout and enjoyable to read - displays concern for careful expression -has some variation in sentence structure -is generally enjoyable to read - has some personality but lacks imagination and may be stilted and may rely on clichés -has little variation in sentence structure -is not very interesting to read NOTE: The CMU Student Handbook is a useful guide for further information on CMU policies regarding grades, academic misconduct, and appeals. Grades are not final until vetted and approved by the Dean s Office. ACADEMIC DEADLINES July 15, 2013 Aug 9 Aug 23 Final date to withdraw from this course without academic penalty Last day for credit students to hand in assignments to instructors Last day for instructors to hand in marks for credit students CLASS SCHEDULE AND TOPICS (draft; subject to change) Mon 9-9:45 Introductions, syllabus, requirements, presentation scheduling 10-12:30 Paul s Discipleship: Conversion & Ambassadorship (2 Cor 5-6, Acts 8-9) 1:30-3 Model #1: The Spiral of Violence 3:30-5 Marietta Jaeger & Myrna Bethke: Personal and Political Forgiveness Student presentations Tue 9-10:30 Matthew 18:1-14: Mapping Social Power in Community 11-12:30 Model #2: Power Inventory 1:30-3 Matthew 18:15-35: Addressing Violation in Community 3:30-5 Joe Avila, et al: Working with Victims and Offenders Student presentations Wed 9-10:30 Mark 1-3: Jesus as a Practitioner of Satyagraha 11-12:30 Conversation with retired Winnipeg MP Bill Blaikie: Faith and the Politics of Practical Peacemaking 1:30-3 Model #3: Full Spectrum Peacemaking 3:30-5 Nelson Johnson: Forging a Beloved Community Student presentations Thu 9-10:30 Paul s Letter from Birmingham City Jail (Ephesians 2-3) 11-12:30 The Birmingham Children s March and the Cost of Nonviolence 12:30-2 Peacebuilder Banquet 2-3:20 Healing Historic Violation: The Promise of the Canadian TRC 4

5 3:40-5 Conversation with MCC Canada Director of Indigenous Relations Steve Heinrichs and colleague Fri 9-10:30 Restorative Justice & Intergenerational Trauma in Mennonite History 11-12:30 Student presentations 1:30-3 Final Discussion 3:30-4:30 Closing, Evaluation, meeting with those taking class for credit 5

6 Additional Reading List Bondurant, Joan Conquest of Violence: The Gandhian Philosophy of Conflict. Revised edition. Berkeley:University of California Press. Camara, Dom Helder Spiral of Violence. New York:Continuum International. Chernus, Ira American Nonviolence: The History of an Idea. Orbis Books. Daye, Russell Political Forgiveness: Lessons from South Africa. Maryknoll:Orbis Books. Dear, John, S.J Jesus the Rebel: Bearer of God s Peace and Justice. Sheed and Ward. Douglass, James W. 2006a The Nonviolent Cross: A Theology of Revolution and Peace. Second ed. Eugene:Wipf and Stock. Fortune, Marie M. and Joretta L. Marshall Forgiveness and Abuse: Jewish and Christian Reflections. Philadelphia:Haworth Press. Gandhi, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi's Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth. Jackson, TN:Public Affairs Books. Gilligan, James Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic. New York:Vintage Books. Hatch, Thom Black Kettle: The Cheyenne Chief who Sought Peace But Found War. Hoboken, NJ:Wiley Publishing. Harding, Vincent Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero. Second edition. Maryknoll:Orbis Books. Horsley, Richard Jesus and the Spiral of Violence: Popular Jewish Resistance in Roman Palestine. San Francisco:Harper & Row. Juergensmeyer, Mark Fighting with Gandhi. San Francisco:Harper & Row. Lederach, John Paul and Janice Moomaw Jenner, eds A Handbook of International Peacebuilding: Into the Eye of the Storm. San Francisco:Jossey-Bass Publications. Lynd, Alice and Staughton, eds. l995 Nonviolence in America: A Documentary History. Maryknoll:Orbis Books. Marsh, Charles The Beloved Community: How Faith Shapes Social Justice, From the Civil Rights Movement to Today. New York:Basic Books. Marshall, Christopher Beyond Retribution: A New Testament Vision for Justice, Crime, and Punishment. Grand Rapids:Eerdmans. 6

7 Marshall, Donna Ramsey Women in War and Peace: Grassroots Peacebuilding. Darby, PA:Diane Publishing Co. McAllister Pam, ed Reweaving the Web of Life: Feminism and Nonviolence. Gabriola Is, BC: New Society Publishers. Murphy, Roseanne Martyr of the Amazon: The Life of Sister Dorothy Stang. Maryknoll:Orbis Books. Regan, Paulette Unsettling the Settler Within: Indian Residential Schools, Truth Telling and Reconciliation in Canada. UBC Press, Vancouver, BC Ross, Rupert Returning to the Teachings: Exploring Aboriginal Justice. Toronto: Penguin Books. Schrock-Shenk, Carolyn and Lawrence Ressler, eds Making Peace with Conflict: Practical Skills for Conflict Transformation. Scottdale, PA:Herald Press. Scott, James Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance. New Haven:Yale University Press. Sharp, Gene Exploring Nonviolent Alternatives. Boston: Porter Sargent. Smith, Kenneth and Ira G. Zepp, Jr. 1974b Search for the Beloved community: The Thinking of Martin Luther King. Jr. Judson Press. Swartley, Willard M Covenant of Peace: The Missing Peace in New Testament Theology and Ethics. Eerdmans Violence Renounced: René Girard, Biblical Studies and Peacemaking. Ed. Pandora Press/Herald Press. Tavanti, Marco 2002 Las Abejas: Pacifist Resistance and Syncretic Identities in a Globalizing Chiapas. (Outstanding Dissertations on Religion in History, Society, and Culture). New York:Routledge. Tutu, Desmond Mpilo No Future Without Forgiveness. New York:Doubleday. Wink, Walter Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination. Philadelphia:Fortress Books. Yoder, Carolyn The Little Book of Trauma Healing: When Violence Strike and Community Security is Threatened. Good Books, Intercourse, PA Zehr, Howard and Barb Toews, eds Critical Issues in Restorative Justice. Portland:Criminal Justice Press and Willan Publishing. 7