White Racism and Dutch Churches: In Search of Liberative Practices | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
2004
Volume 77, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 2542-6583
  • E-ISSN: 2590-3268

Abstract

Abstract

For more than 50 years Dutch churches have spoken out against racial injustices. Yet, this call has rarely translated into transformative practices. This article identifies two obstacles currently preventing churches from combatting white racism: (1) a challenging social climate, including a polarised public debate concerning racism and a lack of interaction between churches of diverse racial compositions, and (2) the role of Christian theology in constructing and maintaining racial ideologies of white supremacy. This article proposes two liberation hermeneutics methods, which combined have the potential to confront these challenges and transform practices.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5117/NTT2023.1.001.HAM
2023-04-01
2024-04-19
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Bourdieu, Pierre and Loïc J.D.Wacquant. An Invitation to Reflexive Sociology. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. DiAngelo, Robin. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism. London: Allen Lane, 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Dreyer, Jaco. “Knowledge, Subjectivity, (De)Coloniality, and the Conundrum of Reflexivity.” In Conundrums in Practical Theology, edited by JoyceAnn Mercer and BonnieMiller-McLemore, 91-109. Leiden: Brill, 2016.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Essed, Philomena. “Naming the Unnameable: Sense and Sensibilities in Researching Racism.” In Researching Race and Racism, edited by MartinBulmer and JohnSolomos, 119-133. London, New York: Routledge, 2004.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Forster, Dion. The (Im)possibility of Forgiveness? An Empirical Intercultural Bible Reading of Matthew18: 15-35. Stellenbosch: Sun Press, 2017.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Gelderloos, Jacobine and IngeLandman. “Samen lezen voor verandering: hoe contextueel bijbellezen verbindt en mensen (opnieuw) enthousiast maakt over de Bijbel.” In De Bijbel in Nederland: Reflecties over het gebruik van de bijbel in kerk en cultuur, edited by SakeStoppels, FloorBarhnhoorn, and Anne-MareikeSchol-Wetter, 181-194. Haarlem: Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap, 2018.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Hopkins, Dwight N. and Edward P.Antonio, eds. The Cambridge Companion to Black Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Horrell, David. Ethnicity and Inclusion: Religion, Race, and Whiteness in Constructions of Identities. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. I&O Research. “Nederland accepteert verandering (Zwarte) Piet.” Accessed September15, 2021. https://www.ioresearch.nl/actueel/zwarte-piet/.
  10. Jennings, Willie James. The Christian Imagination: Theology and the Origins of Race. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010.
    [Google Scholar]
  11. John, Helen. Biblical Interpretation and African Traditional Theology: Cross-Cultural and Community Readings in Owamboland, Namibia. Leiden: Brill, 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  12. Jong, Anne de. “Gaza, Black Face and Islamophobia: Intersectionality of Race and Gender in (Counter-) Discourse in the Netherlands.” In Relating Worlds of Racism: Dehumanisation, Belonging, and the Normativity of European Whiteness, edited by PhilomenaEssed, KarenFarquharson, KathrynPillay, and ElisaJoy White, 271-298. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2019.
    [Google Scholar]
  13. Kidd, Colin. The Forging of Races: Race and Scripture in the Protestant Atlantic World, 1600-2000. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Meijers, Erica. Blanke broeders – zwarte vreemden: de Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk, de Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland en de apartheid in Zuid-Afrika 1948-1972. Hilversum: Uitgeverij Verloren, 2008.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. NOS. “Kabinet erkent institutioneel racisme bij deel Belastingdienst.” Accessed July8, 2022. https://nos.nl/artikel/2430198-kabinet-erkent-institutioneel-racisme-bij-deel-belastingdienst.
  16. Pacheco Lozano, Andrés Felipe. “Towards a Theology of Reconciliation: A Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace to Heal Broken Relations in Colombia.” PhD diss., Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  17. Protestantse Kerk in Nederland. Van U is de toekomst: ontvankelijk en waakzaam leven in genade. Utrecht: Dienstenorganisatie Protestantse Kerk, 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  18. Reddie, Anthony. “Black Theology in Britain.” In Hopkins, Black Theology, 234-244.
    [Google Scholar]
  19. Reddie, Anthony. “Reassessing the Inculcation of an Anti-Racist Ethic for Christian Ministry: From Racism Awareness to Deconstructing Whiteness.”Religions11, no. 10 (2020): 1-17.
    [Google Scholar]
  20. Reddie, Anthony. “Crisis in Black Theology: Reasserting a Future Based on Spiritual Liberative Praxis.”HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies76, no. 3 (2020): 1-10.
    [Google Scholar]
  21. Reddie, Anthony. Is God Colour Blind? Insights from Black Theology for Christian Faith and Ministry. London: SPCK, 2020, first edition 2009.
    [Google Scholar]
  22. Roberts, J. Deotis. Liberation and Reconciliation: a Black Theology. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005, first edition 1971.
    [Google Scholar]
  23. Segovia, Fernando. “Intercultural Bible Reading as Transformation for Liberation: Intercultural Hermeneutics and Bible Studies.” In Bible and Transformation: The Promise of Intercultural Bible Reading, edited by Hans de Wit and Janet Dyk. 19-52. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature Press, 2015.
    [Google Scholar]
  24. SKIN. “Beleidsnota SKIN 2019-2024.” Accessed September24, 2021. https://59b1869c-9b2b4045b54c0de8f16c3c38.filesusr.com/ugd/b0a256_a7af3cb1cdc547fbb54d6015fa30615a.pdf.
  25. Stegeman, Janneke. Alles moet anders! Bevrijdingstheologie voor witte Nederlanders. Utrecht: Kokboekencentrum, 2017.
    [Google Scholar]
  26. Teunissen, P.J.Bevrijding als opdracht van de Kerken: het programma ter bestrijding van racisme van de Wereldraad van Kerken. Beleidsadvies van de Sectie Internationale zaken aan de Raad van Kerken in Nederland. Amersfoort: Horstink, 1975.
    [Google Scholar]
  27. Walt, Charlene van der. “Close Encounters: Creating a Safe Space for Intercultural Bible Reading, Part I.”Scriptura109 (2012): 110-118.
    [Google Scholar]
  28. Walt, Charlene van der. “Close Encounters: Creating a Safe Space for Intercultural Bible Reading, Part II.”Scriptura110 (2012): 282-292.
    [Google Scholar]
  29. Wekker, Gloria. White Innocence: Paradoxes of Colonialism and Race. Durham: Duke University Press, 2016.
    [Google Scholar]
  30. Wekker, Gloria. Witte onschuld: paradoxen van kolonialisme en ras. Herziene editie. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2020.
    [Google Scholar]
  31. West, Gerald and PhumzileZondi-Mabizela. “The Bible Story that Became a Campaign: The Tamar Campaign in South Africa (and Beyond).”Ministerial Formation103 (2004): 4-12.
    [Google Scholar]
  32. West, Gerald, PhumzileZondi-Mabizela, MartinMaluleke, HappinessKhumalo, PhidianSmadz Matsepe, and MirolynNaidoo. “Rape in the House of David: The Biblical Story of Tamar as a Resource for Transformation.”Agenda61 (2004): 36-41.
    [Google Scholar]
  33. West, Gerald. “Locating ‘Contextual Bible Study’ Within Biblical Liberation Hermeneutics and Intercultural Biblical Hermeneutics: Original Research.”HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies70, no. 1 (2014): 1–10.
    [Google Scholar]
  34. Williams, Delores S.“Black Theology and Womanist Theology.” In Hopkins, Black Theology, 58-72.
    [Google Scholar]
  35. Wyngaard, Cobus van. “White theology in dialogue with Black Theology: Exploring the Contribution of Klippies Kritzinger.”HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies72, no. 1 (2016): 1-9.
    [Google Scholar]
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.5117/NTT2023.1.001.HAM
Loading
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error