Postcolonial Politics & Theology

Instructor: Dr. KWOK Pui Lan ( Pkwok@iliff.edu )

Teaching Intern: Hesron Sihombing ( hesron.sihombing@du.edu )

Course Synopsis

Virtual Meetings: Tuesdays, September 14 and October 19 from 5-6 pm (MDT) and November 16 from 5-6 pm (MST) by Zoom. See URL link below.

"Gathering Days": October 11 (Monday) from 1-3 pm (MDT) and October 12 (Tuesday) from 10-noon (MDT)

Small groups: 10/11    3.15-3.45 pm doctoral students

4.15-5.00 pm first year students

10/12   9.00-9.45 am other students

We have a module for each week with all the readings and the discussion board. Please check the module.

Zoom URL for Virtual Meetings

Zoom join by phone

Syllabus

Course Overview

This course challenges the Eurocentric preoccupation of political theology and explores a postcolonial and comparative approach that addresses the realities of the majority world. We will discuss the relation between the formation of American empire and Christianity; changing geopolitics in Asia Pacific; race, colonial desire, and sexuality; and reconfiguring Christ. The practical and ministerial implications for preaching, interreligious solidarity and peacebuilding, and Christian mission will also be studied.

Course Objectives

After taking this course, students should be able to:

1. Articulate a postcolonial understanding of the relation between politics and theology.
2. Understand the intersection of Christian theology with race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and empire in the Asia Pacific from a transnational perspective.
3. Examine critically their own theological assumptions and develop their theology.
4. Gain a better understanding of preaching, interreligious solidarity, and Christian mission using a postcolonial lens.

Students need to complete the assigned readings and watch the assigned videos. Doctoral students have additional readings. They need to participate actively in virtual and in person session (20%). They will post weekly on their reflections on the readings and responding to posts by classmates (40%). They will submit the final paper (40%) on time and demonstrate the ability to write a cogent academic paper and show critical theological thinking. Students can also choose to do a final project.