Love Prevails: The Search for God from Hotel Rwanda

Although many scholars have studied the genocide in Rwanda, few have explicitly examined the questions of spirituality and theology connected to the narratives of survivors of this complex manifestation of evil. More theological reflection is needed that wrestles more explicitly with themes such as theodicy, lament, sin, redemption, providence, justice, reconciliation, and Christian hope.

Rev. Groody has been working with Jean Bosco and Christina Rutagengwa, who both survived the genocide and spend over 40 days in the Hotel Des Miles Collines, and together we have been drafting a manuscript that addresses the question of theology and theodicy from the context of the Rwandan genocide.

Some of the questions we will explore include: What were the counter-genocidal and life-generating movements that arose during this time? How can the resources of Christian faith assist survivors? In what ways was religious faith a source of strength for individuals as they faced the genocide? How were even the failures of the Church in the Rwandan genocide an occasion for deeper theological reflection?.  This study will benefit not only those who have suffered human rights violations but will also add much to serious scholarly theological reflection arising from this context.