Conflict Resolution in the Book of Amos

Abstract

This article looks at the influential role played by the Lord’s pedagogy in the area of conflict resolution in the book of Amos. The Book is often perceived as a book of doom consisting of a litany of condemnations and a catalogue of punishments. However, it is much more than that and of considerable interest throughout are the communicative elements. In all of the dangerous and gloomy conflict situations portrayed in the book, the most striking aspect is the sheer persistence on the part of the Lord in his efforts to bring the people back into friendship with himself. When Judah and Israel intentionally rejected the Torah, they created a rift between themselves and the Lord. Nevertheless, the utterances of the Lord which constitute effective pedagogic tools are designed to invite the wicked to repent and to
educate them in the ways of justice, peace and harmony. The Lord’s pedagogy taken in the context of conflict resolution with its many subtle lessons and instructions is remarkable in that it affords the people many opportunities to avoid the divine wrath. It is quite
evident that there is tremendous progression in regard to communication in the Book, a progression reflected in the actions of the Lord, who goes from being the one who roars in anger to the one who blesses.