B02 - Religious Response to Genocide

Course Description and Objectives:

NEVER AGAIN…. 
These are words that haunt me…. As a student of the Holocaust I had uttered these words many times and yet with genocide occurring in Rwanda, I chose to speak to my congregation week after week about a white bronco and O.J. Simpson.  I have never forgiven myself for not being more proactive in speaking against the horrors of the genocide in Rwanda.  I am not naïve enough to suspect that my one voice would have been enough to make a difference in the lives of the victims, and yet I believe I missed an opportunity to educate and perhaps impact upon members of the community I serve.  One never knows who knows whom and what words or actions may make a difference.  So…I taught this course for high school students who were seeking college credit and a similar course at another local university.

My goals are to look at genocide and religion and attempt to help students understand how one can respond to genocide and when in the midst of genocide, how others have responded.  I also want students to wrestle with “what I might have done…” We also will take a look at what role G-d plays in the midst of genocide and whether G-d is responsible.  We will examine the Holocaust in Europe in the most depth, although references will be made to Armenia, Darfur and Rwanda.  Students will be able to examine other areas where there has been genocide or genocide like behavior and will be teaching about these areas to the class.

Finally, this class will challenge each individual to take ownership for seeking possible ways to prevent the future occurrences of similar atrocities.