EXCURSIONS

Colombia 2016: Course Description

This course was designed to promote an ethical/theological framework of reference to analyse, comprehend, and address the phenomenon of reconciliation and its different dimensions, making special emphasis on the Colombian context and what it means and implies to “be” peace (faith) communities or churches in the midst of a context full of broken relationships as result of the dynamics of injustice and violence.

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To complete this goal, the course focused on an exploration of different biblical-theological perspectives on reconciliation and its different dimensions. Thus, exploring the ecumenical developments in the areas of peace building and reconciliation become an important source. This is why the course contemplated how the topic of reconciliation has been addressed by different ecumenical spaces, with special emphasis on the World Council of Churches (WCC) and specifically with the initiative – from 2013 onwards - of the “Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace” and how it is – or might be connected- with reconciliation.

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The offered course sought to promote an exchange of reflections between some academy and the experiences of communities in Colombia. To do so, the course counted on the participation of regular students (both in Colombia and in The Netherlands) as well as with the presence of some leaders of different grass-root communities. In addition to the exchange sought in the midst of the sessions, the students were encouraged to be partakers of some visits to different communities and experiences of peacemaking and reconciliation.