PEACE AND RECONCILIATION FACILITATORS’ COURSE: SYLLABUS

DESCRIPTION
This course prepares a spiritual leader to add a set of biblical peace and reconciliation (PAR) principles in his or her total discipleship ministry. PAR is a key aspect of holistic disciplemaking. In this peace theological framework, we see the disciple’s life and ministry in four quadrants–spiritual, psycho-social, socio-political, and economic-ecological. The unifying, energizing, and sustaining center of these quadrants is the Cross of Jesus Christ.

OBJECTIVES
After this course, the student should be able to:

  • Understand and articulate a biblical theology of Peace and Reconciliation
  • Analyze the nature of conflict and how it can be transformed towards peacebuilding and genuine reconciliation
  • Apply a biblical theology of Peace and Reconciliation in various aspects of transformation—spiritual, psycho-social, socio-political, and economic-ecological
  • Develop a church-based Peace and Reconciliation ministry for the healing of the individual, family, local church, barangay, city or municipality, province, and our beloved nation from the wounds of injustices and various forms of violence

PRE-SESSION READING

  • Van der Zee and Koopmans. Mediation in Pastoral Care. (AMBS, Indiana, 2012).

SESSION TEXTBOOK

  • John Paul Lederach. Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies. (USIP Press, Washington, DC, 2004)

ONLINE RESOURCES

Printable PAR Resource Manual
Seminar 1
Seminar 2
Seminar 3

PAR Slides Presentation
Seminar 1
Seminar 2
Seminar 3

REQUIREMENTS
1. Reading Reflections (RR). These daily assignments are from the Pre-Session Reading. These are not reading notes; rather, they are to be your reaction and reflection on what you have read. These papers will be one page in length, and are due each day at the start of the class.

2. Research Paper. This paper will be from 10-12 pages in length (not including Bibliography pages), and it can be on any topic from this subject, upon approval of the class facilitator. The Paper must meet standard graduate qualities as defined by EBCS. It will be due 30 days after the last day of classes.

SCHEDULE

Session 1
 INTRODUCTION AND SYLLABUS PRESENTATION
 PURSUING PEACE
 STRATEGIC PEACEBUILDING
 THE NATURE OF CONFLICT
 THE PROCESS OF CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION
 THE PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION
Submit RR1: Van der Zee and Koopmans, pp. 1-50

Session 2
 LEARNING THE ART OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION
 ASSERTING YOUR RIGHTS THROUGH PEACEFUL NEGOTIATION
 BRIDGING CONFLICTING PARTIES THROUGH MEDIATION
Submit RR2: Van der Zee and Koopmans, pp. 51-80

Session 3
 UNDERSTANDING PEACE IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION
 ENLISTING PEACE AND RECONCILIATION (PAR) VOLUNTEERS
 HOW TO ORGANIZE PAR TEAMS
 DOING PAR MINISTRY IN A CROSS-CULTURAL CONTEXT
 PAR AND TRAUMA HEALING
 PAR VOLUNTEER EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Submit RR3: Van der Zee and Koopmans, pp. 81-102

Session 4
 PRINCIPLES OF MEDIATION IN PASTORAL CARE
 THE PRACTICE OF MEDIATION IN PASTORAL CARE: ROLE PLAYING
Submit RR4: Van der Zee and Koopmans, pp. 103-114

Session 5
 HOW TO FACILITATE PAR SEMINARS: ROLE PLAYING
 HOW TO TRAIN PAR FACILITATORS: ROLE PLAYING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  • Ackerman, Peter and Duvall, Jack 2000. A Force More Powerful: A Century of NonViolent Conflict. New York: Palgrave-MacMillan.
  • Enns, Fernando 2007. The Peace Church and the Ecumenical Community: Ecclesiology and the Ethics of NonViolence. Ontario: WCC.
  • Friesen, Duane K. 1986. Christian Peacemaking and International Conflict. Ontario: Herald Press
  • Hedges, Chris 2002. War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. Toronto: Anchor Books.
  • Herr, Robert 1998. Transforming Violence: Linking Local and Global Peacemaking. Toronto: Herald Press.
  • Hunt, Scott A. 2002. The Future of Peace: On the Frontlines with the World’s Great Peacemakers. San Francisco: Harper Books.
  • Lederach, John Paul 2004. Building Peace: Sustainable Reconciliation in Divided Societies. Washington, DC: USIP Press.
  • Lind, Millard C. 1980. Yahweh Is A Warrior: The Theology of Warfare in Ancient Israel. Ontario: Herald Press.
  • Matties, Gordon 2012. Joshua (Believers Church Bible Commentary). Ontario: Herald Press
  • National Study Forum on Reconciliation 2012. Paghusay: Stories of Community Reconciliation in the Philippines. Bacolod City: Pax Christi Philippines.
  • Smith, Craig 2008. The Cross at the Cross Roads: Loving Our Enemies in the 21st Century. Manila: OMF Publishers.
  • Stassen, Glen H. 1992. Just Peacemaking: Transforming Initiatives for Justice and Peace. Kentucky: John Knox Press.
  • Stoltzfus, Gene 2010. Create Space for Peace. Florida: TriMark Press
  • Swartley, Willard M. 1992. The Love of Enemy and Nonretaliation in the New Testament. Kentucky: John Knox Press.
  • Van der Zee, L. Brussee and Koopmans, Annelies 2012. Mediation In Pastoral Care. Indiana: AMBS.

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