Mutual Aid & the Church

Catalog description

TAUGHT BY GTU. In this course, we will be working to integrate principles of mutual aid, nonhierarchical organizing (e.g. dual power structures,) solidarity networks, direct action, and communal class consciousness into how we can conceive of church in a manner that's supportive of contemporary issues in social justice. Material will also be brought in from the history of the church to discuss Christian forms of anarchism and socialism, mutatis mutandis, as well as various liberation theologies that are inspired by, and respond to, social justice issues in the twentieth century. As the instructor comes from the Episcopalian tradition, the course will be geared toward that ecclesial context, though liberation theological texts will be brought in from various traditions, and students are encouraged to imagine forward/bring sources from within their ecclesial contexts. This course is taught by PhD student Gordon Gilmore with a Newhall Award, under the supervision of Dr. Deena Aranoff.