The Parable of the Good Samaritan and Negative Ethnicity: A Reading Towards Good Neighbourliness among Kenya Ethnic Communities

Abstract

Negative ethnicity was rife in the context that Jesus told the parable of the so-called Good Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans despised each other hence the parable was told to curb ethnic prejudice and hatred among them. In Kenya, negative ethnicity is rife and it has made ethnic groups to append ethnic tension in their relations. The title of the parable has a problem as it implicitly inspires tenets of negative ethnicity. It tacitly typifies Samaritans as bad except the one who helped the unnamed robbed man. Jesus proved that non-Jews too can discern and fulfil the godly value of being compassionate even to enemies. This paper seeks to examine and confirm the critical point that Jesus was stating, i.e., the neighbour is one whose ethnic origin does not matter to interpret the parable for the Kenyan context. It also aims to read the parable so as to enhance good neighbourliness among Kenyan ethnic groups.
Keywords: Jews, Samaritans, Negative Ethnicity, Good neighbourliness, Kenyan Context