From the Chairman of the Board
On behalf of the Chairman of the Board, I would first like to wish the readers of this newsletter all the best for the new year 2023. This time last year, much of the world was in lockdown and we weren’t sure what the new year would bring. It has been a great relief that COVID was not as invasive as it was in 2022 and 2021. But as we turn the page to 2023, we face many other challenges, including the ongoing war in Ukraine and eastern Congo, the terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria, a global food shortage, the climate crisis, and an increase in (online) hate speech. Religion plays a vital role in many of these societal challenges, both in the foreground and in the background. Based on its vision, The A Cup for Humanity Foundation tries to contribute to understanding and addressing these important relevant issues by organizing events and seminars. In the previous newsletter, we informed you about the progress of our various programs and projects in Rwanda.
New board members foundation A Cup for Humanity
In recent months we have welcomed the addition of two new board members, we introduce them to you below;
Rev. Philip VAN WIJK
Pastor Philip van Wijk was born on 9 June 1957 in Sleeuwijk (Noord Brabant). He got married in 1980 and has 3 children (1981, 1983, 1985).
In 1978, Pastor van Wijk completed the PABO training. He then did Colloquium Doctum in 1980 and was admitted to the university study of theology. In 1984 he took his candidate exam and in 1986 church exam, both at the University of Utrecht. In 1987, Pastor van Wijk did the Basic Mission Course at the Hendrik Kraemer Institute. Pastor van Wijk is currently employed by the national PKN as an itinerant pastor. An itinerant pastor is temporarily working in a church as a substitute and does regular pastoral work.
During his career as a pastor, Philip has served many congregations in the Netherlands. He has also been a missionary pastor in Kenya from 1987 to 1990. In the period from 2011 – 2014, he started the Peace Education project in Kenya. Philip is still involved in projects in Kenya. The vision of The A Cup for Humanity Foundation states that we want to provide peace education, with his knowledge Philip is our specialist in this field. Together with me, we were already able to teach peace education in Rwanda for a week in February 2023.
Rev. Philip van Wijk is a theologian and anthropologist and church minister in the Protestant Church. As a member of the Colloquium on Violence and Religion (COV&R), he has done a lot of studies on ethnic violence. He worked in Africa (Kenya) from 1987 – 1990 and from 2010 – 2014, where he developed a training program for local spiritual leaders on the understanding of the root causes of mass violence. Currently, he works as a church minister in two parishes. In February 2023 he went to Rwanda for a tryout in a training in three locations.
Pastor Philip van Wijk was born on 9 June 1957 in Sleeuwijk (Noord Brabant). He got married in 1980 and has 3 children (1981, 1983, 1985).
In 1978, Pastor van Wijk completed the PABO training. He then did Colloquium Doctum in 1980 and was admitted to the university study of theology. In 1984 he took his candidate exam and in 1986 church exam, both at the University of Utrecht. In 1987, Pastor van Wijk did the Basic Mission Course at the Hendrik Kraemer Institute. Pastor van Wijk is currently employed by the national PKN as an itinerant pastor. An itinerant pastor is temporarily working in a church as a substitute and does regular pastoral work. During his career as a pastor, Philip has served many congregations in the Netherlands. He has also been a missionary pastor in Kenya from 1987 to 1990. In the period from 2011 – 2014, he started the Peace Education project in Kenya. Philip is still involved in projects in Kenya. The vision of The A Cup for Humanity Foundation states that we want to provide peace education, with his knowledge Philip is our specialist in this field. Together with me, we were already able to teach peace education in Rwanda for a week in February 2023.
Rev. Philip van Wijk is a theologian and anthropologist and church minister in the Protestant Church. As a member of the Colloquium on Violence and Religion (COV&R), he has done a lot of studies on ethnic violence. He worked in Africa (Kenya) from 1987 – 1990 and from 2010 – 2014, where he developed a training program for local spiritual leaders on the understanding of the root causes of mass violence. Currently, he works as a church minister in two parishes. In February 2023 he went to Rwanda for a tryout in a training in three locations.
Jannetta Bos
Jannetta Bos recently retired, before that she worked at Centrum ’45 in Diemen as a psychotherapist and as a sexologist NVVS. At Centrum ’45 she worked mainly with refugees and asylum seekers traumatized by war, persecution, and violence and at the Equator with victims of human trafficking. As a sexologist, she works with people who try to recover after sexual violence or torture. Based on the vision of The A Cup for Humanity Foundation, she is our specialist in the field of psychotrauma Care. Jannetta is also committed to the organization Médecins Sans Frontières.
Training church leaders in Rwanda
In this newsletter, we would like to inform you about a special training that is being held in Rwanda on the theory of violence and religion by René Girard.
From interpersonal disagreements to civil wars and genocide, humans seem to be an inherently violent species. What is behind this tendency to use violence? Read more in today’s newsletter about the roots of violence.
From creation, man has offered a choice in the matter of good and evil (Genesis 1-4). As humans, we have been given responsibility for moral issues. We are responsible for the actions we take and for our moral standards. For example, observing the Ten Commandments helps us behave as ethical human beings. This suggests that humans are not bad by nature or naturally good; We have a range of capabilities and capabilities.
A deeper understanding of how and why we (dis)engage in violence can help us achieve a less violent future — or at least one in which we can better understand and control our violence. To avoid quick reactions, it is therefore important to understand violence from the underlying causes.
Faced with the need to develop peace education tools, A Cup for Humanity hosted a training workshop for church leaders on understanding the root causes of violence and ways to mitigate it. Specifically, a week-long training was organized in Rwanda in February 2023. A total of 330 church leaders and other parishioners attended. Workshops were organized at three different locations in Rwanda, namely Kayonza (Eastern Province), Kabeza (city of Kigali), and Huye (southern province).
A common identity
Drawing on the ”mimetic theory”, rev. Philip van Wijk from the Netherlands three main causes of violence, namely the copying of desire, the copying of rivalry, and scapegoating mechanism. According to the theory, we all long for what others desire because we imitate their desires, leading to natural rivalry and ultimately to scapegoats. Therefore, our capacity for aggression or the tendency to compassion is mimicked. Even our own concepts, opinions, preferences, and dislikes are based on a complex web of influences and experiences that escape our immediate attention. Yet we have the ability to manage the ability to choose the path that may or may not lead to violence.
A hermeneutical approach that fits the Rwandan context?
The current Rwandan context – after the genocide is very sensitive – but strives for and is open to healing. The genocide of the Tutsis that killed more than a million people destroyed the social fabric of the country. One of the complex factors that lead people to embrace mass violence is the copying of desire, rivalry, and scapegoating. For example, hate speech was spread from above to the base. As a result, ordinary citizens took machetes and killed their neighbors including their own siblings. Tutsis and moderate Hutus were scapegoated as the enemies of all possible development of the Hutus… The theory practically resonated with the local context.
A good example to follow
The same forces that can drive us into violence can be responsible for making peace if we learn to manage our copying of desire. The doctrine used the analogy of Jesus and the Father to show how we can copy desires without falling into a rivalry that leads to violence. As written in the gospel according to John 5:19, the son does what he copies from the father, but they are not rivals. By following Jesus’ example, we can still copy other people’s desires and still remain nonviolent.
”A” forgiving victim
Proponents of transitional justice argue that while apology and forgiveness are vital to dealing with a violent past, the root causes of violence must first be addressed. These are, for example, discourses, ideas, and ideologies that promote violence. They argue that failure to do so results in not achieving lasting reconciliation. It is important to keep in mind that after the conflict, former enemies must live together again, share daily life, and concern themselves with a common future. That’s why it’s important to address a violent past in a way that can change a life — by bringing peace, happiness, and emotional and spiritual healing. The case of Jesus illustrates not only how forgiveness plays a vital role in bringing about reconciliation, but also how violence must be addressed. He was falsely accused, scapegoated, and abandoned by people, including his followers. But on the cross, he prayed for his enemies, and even after the resurrection he preached shalom, love, and justice.
Way forward
We were pleased to see victims of the genocide of the Tutsis embrace the model. After a positive response from the participants, we look forward to organizing other pieces of training here in Rwanda about the roots of violence.