5 Religion Questions

REL 103 Final Exam Part 2 You will be given 3 of these questions when you walk in the room for the final exam. You will answer 2 of them. You may bring in 1 single-sided page of handwritten notes to use.

1. Davis provided us with a unique portrayal of the Catholic church’s involvement in the struggles for racial justice during the 20th century. Discuss at least 3 specific events or individuals as you explain why it is so difficult to generally summarize the church’s involvement as either good or bad.

2. In 1979, the US Catholic Bishops wrote the document “Brothers and Sisters to Us”

as a Christian reflection on racism at that point in time. Using the selections I distributed in class (also available on Isidore), highlight 2 of the bishops’ main concerns and then identify at least 2 concrete ways that their Christianity directly factors into their response to racism.

3. Christian pastor Brian Bantum constantly reminds his readers that “race matters.”

First, explain what he means when he says race is a process rather than just a fact. Then identify at least 3 of the particular examples he provides throughout the article that illustrate what he means when he says “race matters.” Finally, choose 1 of those 3 examples to discuss in more detail. Talk about how race is intertwined with that particular example and why we might want to be more aware of that fact.

4. Brian Bantum’s article argues that Christians in particular ought to resist the

temptation to call themselves post-racial. First, explain why Bantum thinks that Christians in particular should be acknowledging that “race matters”. Second, discuss how the Christian practice of “confession” fits into this conversation about race, according to Bantum.

5. Suppose a friend asks you if the Christian tradition has anything interesting to

contribute to discussions about race. Drawing on the 3 sources from class (Davis, “Brothers and Sisters to Us,” and Bantum), respond to your friend’s question with at least 2 substantial paragraphs.