Honors Theses
Date of Award
2012
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Liberal Studies
First Advisor
Sarah Moses
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This thesis deals with the Christian religious tradition in relation to the ideology of white supremacy. By contrasting the history and ideologies of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa and the Presbyterian Church of America, this thesis will attempt to show that past history and the present culture affect the way religious communities interpret sacred texts. The primary objective of this thesis is to demonstrate the interactive role of history, culture, and religion within religious communities and society in order to breed conscious awareness of how these institutions are mutually effective. Religious adherents are not only products of their faith but also their ideology as formed by society, history, and social stratification.This thesis will demonstrate the importance of culture and history in relation to religion by deconstructing how racial ideologies are formed in the case countries. The Dutch Reformed Church (hereafter DRC) of South Africa and Presbyterian Church of America (hereafter PCA) will serve as lens to observe these developments. The development of racism in the DRC and PCA will be compared to expose how religious communities can interpret texts to favor the interests of the dominant group. The purpose of this paper is not to blame one race, religion or denomination but to become further aware of the way historical and interpretative agendas shape attitudes about The research suggests that, in studying religion in relation to social constructions such as race.
Recommended Citation
Denton, Alexandria Claire, "History, Culture, And Religion in the Development of Racial Ideology: A Case Study of the Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa and the Presbyterian Church of America" (2012). Honors Theses. 1980.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1980
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