This video course consists of a 208-page course book, a 90-minute video, a group guide and notes for teachers. It tackles prejudice and discrimination. We get to know the ancient Christian community at Corinth and study the challenges it faced, challenges we still face today.
There are many inequalities that divide humankind. Principal among them are: prosperity, race and gender. We live in a world of rich and poor, of higher and lower classes, of men and women.
This course looks at the origins of prejudice. It exposes its links with stereotype and rationalisation. It shows how discrimination causes backwardness, and backwardness gives further ground for discrimination. It is a vicious circle that needs to be broken.
We cannot serve God and money
One of the greatest barriers between people is the inequality in wealth. The communities of Jesus' followers, however, knew that haves and have-nots were equal in God's sight. And wherever the poor were oppressed, God was on their side.
In this course we reconstruct the situation in Corinth. We learn of the enormous social divisions in that city and observe how the Christian community there was trying to bring rich and poor together.
Against the background of Graeco-Roman Corinth we also explore the origin of capital formation. We study the economic forces that tend to create a small elite of `owners' and a large population of `have-nots'. We reflect on Gospel values that have a bearing on this reality.
The Gospel does not contradict sound economic principles, but it does impose obligations of justice and humaneness that have important economic consequences. Jesus does not forbid Zaccheus to remain a tax collector, but demands that Zaccheus become a different kind of tax collector.
The story on the video demonstrates the relevance of this topic in a modern parable. We follow what happens to Nurhadi, a village boy who settles in a big city. We get to know his boss, Wong Ha, who is a money lender.
Can we wholeheartedly join a capitalist market society and yet be faithful to our Christian convictions?
We must bridge social distance created by prejudice
God does not consider any race or social class superior to another. And in Christ we have all become one. "There is no longer Jew or Greek, free or slave, male or female" (Gal 3,28). But this principle proved hard to put into practice in Corinth on account of the deeply engrained social prejudices of the time.
We study the origin of prejudice. We see how it arises from the need of groups to protect their interests, how it is linked to stereotype and generalisation. We reflect on the reality of `social distance' and how this reinforces prejudice.
We also consider, as a relevant case study, the deplorable prejudice against the Jewish people, first among the Hellenists, then among Christians. Again we notice the role played by `social distance' and reflect on how only action can bridge the divide.
Many people in our society are still handicapped by bias and discrimination. Traces are even visible in the Church. Nothing will change unless we, Christians, learn the skill of bridging social distance at every opportunity that offers itself.
The issues involved are forcefully presented on the video in a story filmed in Indonesia. A high class Christian family on the island of Java wrestles with its bias against tribal Papuas. Images from the UK are interwoven with the story to bring the message home.
Scripture does not teach that women are subject to men
In this course we trace the origin of the cultural subjection of women in Graeco-Roman times. Women were considered inferior to men by nature, just as some human races were considered fit for slavery by nature.
The New Testament message of true equality was revolutionary and daring. The early Christian community had the right vision: of a society where men and women could be truly equal. Unfortunately, as the centuries went by, Christians slid back to pagan ideas. Slavery was tolerated. Other nations were colonised. The Jews were persecuted. Women were denied their rightful place.
The course reflects on the reasons for this sad history. We consider how key biblical texts, such as the story of creation and passages in Paul, were used to justify social prejudices. These mistaken interpretations of Scripture are corrected. The way to a new Christian commitment in embracing genuine human equality must begin from a recognition of past errors.
The story on the video presents the leadership role of a courageous Indonesian woman who broke with centuries-old tradition to lead her village out of prejudice and poverty. As is the case with our other stories, the story is based on true events.
This course was awarded a mention of merit at the Christian Video Market at Driebergen in 1993.
The course won favourable reviews at its launches in Liverpool and Glasgow.
In the UK, the Video is available from McCrimmons, 10-12 High Street, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0EQ. tel. 01702-218956; email: orders@mccrimmons.com.
The entire course I Have No Favourites can be bought as one complete set. It includes the 90-minute video, a full course book of 208 pages and guide book for groups.
The three parts can also be bought separately: Investing in Value that Lasts, An End to High and Low and Respecting God's Image . Each includes a 30-minute video and short 64-page course book.
I HAVE NO FAVOURITES has been co-produced in the following languages and countries: Arabic (the Lebanon), Chinese (Taiwan), Danish, Dutch (Belgium and the Netherlands), English (Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, UK, USA), Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish (Central and South America, USA). Adaptations in other countries are in preparation.
For the addresses of our international distributors, click here.
