FOR NJOSH ONLY

Unit 4 – Assignment

Research:

Topics: Religion and conflicts in Africa

In the book The Ambivalence of the Sacred: Religion, Violence, and Reconciliation (2000), Appleby R. Scott, develops the now widely accepted idea that: “religion may not only incite violence but also contribute to peace.” This statement corroborates South Africa’s renown Anglican Pastor Desmond Tutu who says that: “religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back”.

Using these statements as background, your task is to write a two to three page maximum (research paper) in which you will:

1. Find and describe a conflict/event/crisis in Africa, which was sparked by religious factors or which had a. tone of religion. In your description, you will say: a. where and when did the crisis/conflict take place, b. if religion was identified as the main cause of the conflict c. what the consequences the crisis/conflict caused d. any other information you may deem important to understand the situation

2. find and describe a case in which faith-based organizations spearheaded in the resolution of a regional, local, or national crisis/conflict/situation. You will focus on: a. the name (s) of the faith-based organizations involved in the case you will identify b. what was done, implemented to address the crisis/conflict/situation c. the outcomes of the intervention