A dangerous pedagogy of discomfort: Redressing racism in theology education

Abstract

This article aims to illustrate how racism could be addressed. Three pedagogies – a dangerous pedagogy as courageous dialogue, a pedagogy of discomfort and a critical pedagogy – are presented as examples to reframe the issue of racism. The contribution of James Cone is applied as a broad descriptive theoretical framework. Cone’s views in this article resonate with the history of contemporary racism in South Africa and will therefore be juxtaposed by the contribution of South African theologians. A fourth pedagogy, namely, a pedagogy of freedom and healing, is introduced to address gaps in the first three pedagogies. The objective is to realise freedom or healing between people of different races.

Holy ground? Reflections on race, place and research in practical theology in the Stellenbosch young adults and inequality project

“…South African practical theologians, both black 5 and white have, therefore, been engaged in this endeavour from various practical theological perspectives in the recent past and have highlighted the way race and class remain central constructs to be engaged within our own context (cf. Dames, 2019;Buffel, 2017;Thesnaar, 2017;Naidoo, 2016;Masango, 2014;Bowers Du Toit, 2014, 2018. The Much like sociologists who argue for a place-sensitive sociology, I think it is important to argue for a place-sensitive practical theology which takes the notion of place more seriously than merely recognising it as a backdrop to research (Murji & Picker, 2019:914).…”

Faith-based agency and theological education: A failed opportunity?

“…9.I use the word here in reference to 'radix' (roots): I mean the grassroots spaces of local communities, and also the root causes of societal problems. 'Radicalised' in this sense implies that by doing theology at the grassroots, and by asking critical questions of the root causes of societal challenges, the chances of theologies becoming more radical -in the sense of dangerously unmasking powers of death and forging 'a new future of freedom and healing' (Dames 2019) -are becoming real.…”