Abstract:
In today’s ‘age of protest’, people have the right to publically resist what they perceive to be
unjust and abusive. Sometimes, public protest is non-violent, but often it becomes destructive.
People get hurt and property is damaged. Those who have the least are often affected most.
This article explores the potential of the centuries old ethics of the Jesus tradition coupled with
recent insights from psychology on empathy, for effective and necessary resistance against
injustice and power abuse, but without the futility of the violence and destruction. This way of
love resists all evil, oppression and injustice, and has the power to break the spiral of violence.
Description:
This research is part of the
project, ‘Gender Studies and
Practical Theology Theory
Formation’, directed by Prof.
Dr Yolanda Dreyer,
Department of Practical
Theology, Faculty of
Theology, University of
Pretoria.
