Week 9 - Harry Manacsa

Western institutions classify spirituality to be the “other,” and for this reason we paint individuals who are adherent to these values as different, backwards, etc. This week’s readings argue that spirituality unifies us, since it demands that we understand ourselves and our relation to one another. As such, academia needs to redefine how spirituality is discussed in the classroom.

            Ritskes remarks that religion and spirituality have largely separated into different institutions, although their histories co-mingle. From a contemporary standpoint, I believe that religions have ended up separating people. UC Davis houses many religious fellowships that also filter for similar races, genders, career goals, etc, which only divide us further. Through all the other tactics discussed last week, academia continually marginalizes different groups into niches where some grander institutions see fit.

            But an understanding of spirituality is exactly how we can break perpetual secularization. Ritskes highlights ways in which spirituality can connect us, thereby moving against academic agendas. I interpreted this to mean that we educate ourselves of other religions, since many of our prejudices are manifestations of forces continuing to divide us, including the recent political air. In aligning ourselves with a common land, UC Davis serves as the microcosm for which Ritskes believes is minimum amount of consciousness we need to attain. We share so many similarities, especially the stress of school, that it should be easy to unite.

Question: But, why has it not been so easy for us, especially on issues regarding social justice for minorities and undocumented students?

Works Cited:

http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/amala-hopeline-offers-much-needed-crisis-counseling-for-muslim-youths/

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31f78CAh45L._SL500_AC_SS350_.jpg

Eric Ritskes. “Connected: Indigenous Spirituality as Resistance in the Classroom.”