Caran Ware Joseph, MA, MDiv, JD Adjunct Faculty, The Iliff School of Theology Email: cwarejoseph@iliff.edu Phone:(303)765-3111 The Rev. Anthony Roberts, MA Adjunct Faculty The Iliff School of Theology Email: aroberts@iliff.edu Phone: (941)586-2881
Identity, Power, and Difference cultivates students’ ability to engage in social and theological analysis, particularly about social structures, ideologies, and embodied practices that lead to domination or oppression. It facilitates critical thinking about social locations, power and privilege, and what effect these have on students' professional and vocational contexts (as pastors, ministers, educators, and religious and non-profit community leaders). The course takes the perspective that this sort of analysis is crucial to serving effectively in today’s complex social environment. It encourages students to deepen their commitment to dismantling privilege and oppression at individual, institutional, and societal levels. It also seeks to help students move within their varied levels of awareness about matters of power and difference to action. This course embodies Iliff’s core commitments to respect difference and foster just relationships both in this context and beyond the school. By the end of the course, the student will by able to:Course Description
Learning Objectives
MDiv degree learning goals supported by this class
MAPSC degree learning goals supported by this class
MASC degree learning goals supported by this class
Academic Integrity and Community Covenant All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook (Links to an external site.), or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook (Links to an external site.), as appropriate. All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant (Links to an external site.). Accommodations Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs. Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. Writing Lab Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments. Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab (Links to an external site.), which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. Inclusive Language It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. Course Expectations
In an effort to create a welcoming and inclusive learning community, we are asking all students to agree to the following Just Language Covenant. Please read it through in its entirety prior to the first class meeting and send an email to both instructors indicating you have completed this activity. And God said, “Let there be light!” And there was light. . . . And God called the light “day”, and the darkness God called “night.” (Gen 1:3 & 5a) In the beginning was the Word . . . (John 1:1a) From the creation story in Gen 1 to the opening words of the Gospel of John, Christian faith tradition has taught followers about the power of the spoken word. In Gen 1, God speaks into being all of creation culminating in the creation of humanity in God’s own image, thus giving us the power also to speak into being new realities. In the Gospel of John, the writer is seeking to proclaim the power of God made manifest in the life of Jesus of Nazareth, thus creating another new reality. In word and deed, Jesus revealed God’s love and grace to all whom he met, and he charged his followers to go and “preach the Good News.” Language thus creates, shapes, and gives voice to our world, our lives, and our faith. Not only in teaching and preaching about biblical texts, but also in conversation with learning communities, we ought to strive to convey the “gospel” message of love and grace towards our peers. To that end, we must strive for both our written and spoken language to reflect the equality of all people and to maintain and honor the mystery of the sacred/divine. Such “Just Language – language that reflects our changing consciousness about God/the sacred/divine, the universe, ourselves, class, gender relations, race, disabilities, and violence – is essential if we are to overcome injustices and hatred that obstruct peace, equality, and harmony for which we long.”1 What follows are specific guidelines for how we, the class members of IST 1001 Identity, Power, and Difference, will live out the Just Language Covenant when speaking/writing about humanity and God. These guidelines are to be followed in preparing written assignments. Language about the Human Community As such a powerful tool, language can be used both to include or to exclude. Words can speak a word of hope, or they can be used to destroy all hope. Speech can build up a person in love, or it can tear down out of hate. Words can indeed hurt or heal. The Israelites understood the particular power inherent in the act of naming something or someone. When the human (‘adam) is brought a new animal, the human names the animal and thus is claiming a position of power over the animal world. Outside of the egalitarian garden, the man names his wife, “Eve,” and this signals the beginnings of a patriarchal culture in which men will have power over women. Without voices and often unnamed, women and other “outsiders” are excluded from human realms of power but certainly not from God’s love. Time and again, the stories of Israel proclaim a God who takes notice of the powerless and chooses those whom society deems “unworthy” to do God’s will. This concern for the marginalized and voiceless was revealed again in the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. The gospel stories show Jesus going against the exclusive rules of society to be among those who most needed to hear that they, too, were loved by God. As those who seek to follow Jesus, Christians are commissioned to proclaim the Gospel of God’s radically inclusive love for all people. Gospel words should not exclude anyone from knowing God’s love and grace. Rather, amid a broken world, Christians must speak into being a new reality of God’s reign where all are welcome. “Sexist Language” Whether or not it was ever the case that “man/mankind” was meant to include all persons, it is not the case today. If the intent is to refer to both male and female persons, then that is what one should do. Titles ending in “man” or “woman” are made non-gender specific by replacing those endings with “person” or by using different terminology (e.g. policeman/police officer). Feminine endings (e.g., ette, esse, and ine), which often are used in other words to indicate imitation, inferior, smaller, or less important, are eliminated by using the non-gender specific title (e.g., authoress/author or stewardess/flight attendant). There is no such thing as a “generic” pronoun (i.e., one that may refer to either a woman or a man) in the English language. Thus, efforts must be used to eliminate the need for a singular pronoun altogether or to use the dual forms as seen above. A few examples may help to illustrate the available options. “Racist Language” Below are just a few examples of how language can serve to perpetuate racism: “Language Regarding Disabilities” Instead of…try using… Also important in this area is to be especially careful in how one uses words referring to particular conditions in a derogatory manner. For example, saying that someone turns a “blind eye” to the truth could be insulting to those whose vision is impaired. In like manner, saying that someone is “deaf”, when it comes to cooperation, could be offensive to those whose hearing is impaired. One should also be careful not to put too much emphasis on particular abilities as being available to all (e.g., “everyone can see the truth” or “let those who have ears to hear”, etc.). Obviously, there are more areas where language can be used to divide rather than to unite. The areas described above are only meant to be starting points for consideration of all words used in describing persons. As our awareness of the global community broadens, more areas will need to be named and considered, if Christians are to continue to spread the Gospel. Language about the Divine Often the discussion about language used to describe God is presented as less strict and reliant more upon one’s personal theology. While no one should be told how or what to believe about the Divine, leaders of the Church are often called upon to speak about God on behalf of the gathered community. In such situations, one’s personal beliefs about God can no longer be the only criteria for language about God. Speaking in front of and/or behalf of a group requires leaders to be sensitive to the diversity of the gathered community, both in human characteristics and in their beliefs. Thus, language about the Divine cannot be seen as less important or less powerful than language about the human community. As was stated above, the power of naming someone was understood among the Israelite community. To know someone’s name was to have some intimate information about who that person was. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus renames Simon as Peter, representing his trust that Peter would continue the work Jesus had begun on earth (Matt 16:18). Nowhere was the power of naming more important and dangerous than in human attempts to name the Divine. When Moses asked to know God’s name, he was given a phrase that defied translation and comprehension. The phrase, ‘eyeh asher ‘eyeh, maintained the mystery of the God who calls humanity into covenant. Similarly, when Jacob wrestled with the Divine stranger at the Jabbok, he demanded a name, but instead Jacob received a new name. Still, humans have used words to speak of God and of their experiences of God. Hagar, the only person in the Hebrew Bible to “name” God, called the Divine “‘el roi”, which reflected her experience of having been seen by a God who took notice of her suffering and who gave her a blessing. Recognizing the inherent danger of limiting God through human words, the Israelites were careful not to solidify their God into one image or name. The third commandment not only referred to making tangible images of God but also to concretizing God into verbal images as well. The same prohibition is found in Deut 4:15-18. 15 Since you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, take care and watch yourselves closely, 16 so that you do not act corruptly by making an idol for yourselves, in the form of any figure-- the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. (NRSV) Acknowledging the mystery of God and the impossibility of finite language to name the Infinite, Christians must also take care in how they name and speak of God. Metaphorical language is a common way for humans to describe God, but the danger is always there for God to be equated with the metaphor and thus produce a static image of God. Given the biblical mandates against limiting God to one image and the multitude of Divine descriptions found in scripture, Christians are called to expand both their own and the faith communities’ understandings of the God who called Israel out of bondage, who brought forth new life out of the death of Jesus, and who continues to call the faithful to work for a just world. “Pronouns” In the biblical languages (i.e., Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek), nouns were given a grammatical gender (i.e., masculine, feminine, and, in Greek, neuter). For example, in Hebrew the word for “city” is feminine, and the word for “house” is masculine; however, a city is not female nor is a house male. The English language no longer utilizes grammatical gender for nouns. Unfortunately, though, most translations of the Bible into English were done without a consideration for this difference. Thus, when translating the words given above, many English Bibles refer to a city as “she” rather than the more common English pronoun, “it.” Not surprisingly, given that most biblical translators have been men, the pronoun used for “road” is “it” and not “him.” Similarly, in referring to God (‘el), which is a masculine noun in Hebrew, most English translations use the pronoun “he”, when “it” would have been just as grammatically accurate. Given Israel’s firm confession that their God did not have a sexual identity (male or female), it is highly unlikely that an obviously male pronoun, like “he”, would have been used to refer to God. Although Greek does have a neuter form for nouns and pronouns, this identification is also a grammatical one and not one of sex. In English references to the Divine, then, it is important to recognize that the use of a masculine pronoun for God implies that God is indeed male. In order to avoid this misconception, it is more accurate to use the word “God” when referring to God and to use the masculine pronouns only when referring to a male person. While some may claim that this practice is cumbersome, avoiding masculine pronouns for God will allow the Gospel to be more clearly understood. If one says, “God,” then it is clear to whom one is referring. “Images/Metaphors” One common theme of both testaments of the Christian Bible is the diverse ways by which reference is made to God. The countless metaphors used by the biblical writers testify to a God who is more than any human word can name. Those who have been called by God to be leaders of the Church are challenged by the ancient authors to expand their own understandings and descriptions of God. In speaking in a gathered community, use of only one image for God not only limits God but also may prevent others, who find that one image unhelpful or disturbing, from hearing the power of the Gospel. Thus, in spoken and written language about God, Christians must continually search out ways to speak of the Ineffable Presence of the Divine. Continuing Dialogue Language is in a constant state of flux as new words are created to name new realities (e.g., Internet, web, Facebook, etc.) and other words fall out of use when they no longer speak of contemporary life. The language of faith is a particularly unique combination. Much of the faith is reliant upon telling the “old, old stories,” but for the faith to continue, those stories must be told in language that will transmit the Gospel to new generations. While it is true that many congregations are resistant to changes dubbed “inclusive language,” God calls men and women to challenge the status quo. This call has been answered by the faithful throughout time in the lives of the Israelite prophets, Jesus, Paul, Sojourner Truth, Emily Tubman, Martin Luther King, and others who proclaimed the Gospel when it was not always a welcomed message. If leaders of the Church do not offer their congregations the opportunities to expand their vocabularies for humanity and for God, then they are doing a disservice to those people. The liberating Word of God only has the power to transform lives if our language invites persons into this new reality and does not exclude anyone. Modified and borrowed from "Just Language Covenant" originally created by Dr. Lisa W. Davison. 1 Kathleen Ashe, “Foreword,” in Creating Just Language, (Chicago: The 8th Day Center for Justice, 1999),
The learning process is most successful when both the instructor and student are genuinely engaged with the topics outlined in the course description. Being engaged in class may involve giving the right answer, simply stating facts, or taking notes. However, learning must go beyond these important functions, requiring both the student and instructor to be curious, creating a community of dialogue (conversation). Authentic dialogue occurs when you are able to talk through what you have learned, why it matters to you (or does not), and perhaps, how it may change something in your life-practice. As Edward de Bono states, “the beauty of your mind should show in your conversation. Just as people can look at your physical beauty they can listen to the beauty of your mind.”[1] With this said, there are a couple of ways that we can contribute to the community of dialogue in our course: As we embrace these guidelines, we will be able to form a learning environment that really seeks to hear one another out in a respectful, manner; this is a direct reflection of the Iliff School of Theology’s commitment to creating an inclusive, welcoming learning community. [1] Edward de Bono, How to Have a Beautiful Mind (Vermilion, 2004), 2.
Academic Integrity and Community Covenant All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook (Links to an external site.), or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook (Links to an external site.), as appropriate. All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant (Links to an external site.). Accommodations Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs. Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations. The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. Writing Lab Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments. Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab (Links to an external site.), which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. Inclusive Language It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. Course Expectations
All of the readings for our Identity, Power, and Difference course are electronically available through our Canvas site; there are no textbooks to purchase for this course. You can access the weeky readings below or by clicking on the links to the pre-class online discussions on the home page of our Canvas site; this link will take you to both the readings and the pre-class discussion for the selected course week. Remember, your readings inform our pre-class online discussions that must be complete by 11:59 PM each Monday.
" In Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, edited by Maurianne; Blumenfeld Adams, Warren; Castañeda, Carmelita Rosie; Hackman, Heather W.; Peters, Madeline L.; Zúñiga, Ximena, 5-8. New York: Routledge, 2010." In Privilege, Power, and Difference. 2nd ed., 76-89. Boston, Mass.: McGraw-Hill, 2006.
." In Racial Formation in the United States: From the 1960s to the 1990s, 2nd ed., 9-15. New York: Routledge, 1994.
." In God of the Oppressed (revised ed.), 36-56. Maryknoll, MD: Orbis Press, 1997.." In God Is Red: A Native View of Religion, 62-77. 2nd ed. Golden, Colo.: North American Press, 1992.
." In There is a River: The Black Struggle for Freedom in America, 25-51 and notes. New York: Harcourt Brace, 1981.." In No Rising Tide: Theology, Economics, and the Future, 48-59 plus notes. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009.
." In Whiteness and Morality: Pursuing Racial Justice through Reparations and Sovereignty, 19-50. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2007.." In The Disability Studies Reader, 119-130. Edited by Lennard Davis. New York: Routledge, 1997.
Identity, Power, and Difference is graded as a pass/fail course. Students will need to earn at least a "C" overall in order to receive a pass for this course. In order to prepare the weekly class meetings, students will participate in a pre-class online discussion responding to a prompt in the Canvas site for our Identity, Power, and Difference course. These questions and prompts will relate directly to the readings, encouraging students to think critically and deeply about the questions/issues raised by the authors. We will emphasize fleshing out the readings' relationship to our subject matter. Each student will respond to the discussion prompt with at least a 300 word post by 11:59 PM on the Monday prior to our weekly class meetings. These initial posts are worth three points; credit will not be given for responses that do not directly engage the discussion question or lack substance. Additionally, each student will make two substantive responses of at least 75 words to the posts of fellow classmates by 11:59 PM on the Monday prior to our weekly classmates. Appropriate responses to the work of other students will add to, respectfully challenge, raise inquiry, or point to further resources to deepen the class conversation. Please note: you must post your initial response to the discussion before you gain access to your classmates' posts. Students will complete two papers for our Identity, Power, and Difference course. The first paper is a reflection written after students attend one 90 minute session at Iliff's Renewal Conference held during Week 5; this is 250-500 words and is due the Monday of Week 6. The second paper is a integrative paper that give students an opportunity to synthesize their future vocational aspirations with the concepts engaged within this course; this is a 4-5 page paper and is due the Wednesday after the conclusion of the Winter 2016 quarter. Students are expected to attend, engage in, and contribute to each class meeting throughout the quarter. It is important to note that participation is more than attending class; it is truly entering into the creation of a learning community embodying mutual respect, diversity, and the values of the Iliff School of Theology. The instructors will evaluate each student's participation throughout the quarter and post a final assessment of their contributions to the class in the "grades" section of our canvas. Weekly Pre-Class Online Discussions (45% of Final Grade)
Papers (50% of Final Grade)
Participation (5% of Final Grade)
The IPD Cafe: Open Discussion Forum
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