RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES

In the many cases of conflicts co-fuelled by sociocultural identity contestations, religions cannot play the role of reconcilers, because they have become part of the problem through association with one of the contesting parties. This contribution argues that, in order to come to terms with this,...

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Main Author: E van der Borght
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of the Free State 2018-12-01
Series:Acta Theologica
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/3683
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author E van der Borght
author_facet E van der Borght
author_sort E van der Borght
collection DOAJ
description In the many cases of conflicts co-fuelled by sociocultural identity contestations, religions cannot play the role of reconcilers, because they have become part of the problem through association with one of the contesting parties. This contribution argues that, in order to come to terms with this, religions have to rediscover the reconciliation practices within their traditions, become more critical of their own past reconciliation record, and develop a theology that pays proper attention to the challenges generated by sociocultural identities. The argument is illustrated with an analysis of the role played by Christian churches in South Africa during the apartheid era.
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spelling doaj-art-a3468faa236f4cfaa075a4dbe1c5561d2025-02-11T09:48:15ZengUniversity of the Free StateActa Theologica1015-87582309-90892018-12-0138210.38140/at.v38i2.3683RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIESE van der Borght0University of the Free State In the many cases of conflicts co-fuelled by sociocultural identity contestations, religions cannot play the role of reconcilers, because they have become part of the problem through association with one of the contesting parties. This contribution argues that, in order to come to terms with this, religions have to rediscover the reconciliation practices within their traditions, become more critical of their own past reconciliation record, and develop a theology that pays proper attention to the challenges generated by sociocultural identities. The argument is illustrated with an analysis of the role played by Christian churches in South Africa during the apartheid era. https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/3683Sociocultural identitiesReconciliationChurches
spellingShingle E van der Borght
RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
Acta Theologica
Sociocultural identities
Reconciliation
Churches
title RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
title_full RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
title_fullStr RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
title_full_unstemmed RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
title_short RELIGIONS AND RECONCILIATION OF CONFLICTING SOCIOCULTURAL IDENTITIES
title_sort religions and reconciliation of conflicting sociocultural identities
topic Sociocultural identities
Reconciliation
Churches
url https://journals.ufs.ac.za/index.php/at/article/view/3683
work_keys_str_mv AT evanderborght religionsandreconciliationofconflictingsocioculturalidentities