Today my heart is heavy.  We finally emerged out of quarantine only to be reminded in the most horrific ways that the coronavirus is not the most dangerous epidemic facing humanity. There is something more dangerous and uglier than corona:  racism, occupation, and many other kinds of injustice and oppression.

There is George Floyd, an African American man who was brutally killed by a white police officer. George posed no threat or danger. He shouldn’t have been killed. “I can’t breathe,” he gasped. Despite calls for mercy from him and the bystanders, no one responded, as if his life had no value. His life may be worthless to some, but it is very precious to God.

As Palestinians, we deeply sympathized with him when we saw the video. His experience is familiar to us, both literally and symbolically. Literally, we relate to his experience in terms of the method of arrest and the pressing on the neck.  Immediately following his death, many pictures of Israeli soldiers with their knees on the necks of Palestinians were posted on the social media pages, and some artists painted expressive pictures showing the two scenes together.

Symbolically, we relate to his experience because we also “cannot breathe.” The wall, the colonies and checkpoints suffocate us. They took the land, water and air from us, and with covetousness they still want even more.  The strong are backed by the Caesar of the White House.  They make the laws and are the rulers and executioners of them.

Following the death of George Floyd in the USA, we experienced two painful incidents here in Palestine.   Fadi Samara, father of five, was killed by the occupation soldiers near Nabi Saleh village, on the pretext that he was attempting to run soldiers over with his car.  The eyewitnesses of the event deny this version of the story. I could not help but think that this might one day be my fate at these checkpoints if I should misunderstand the occupation soldier’s signal when I am stopped. Yes, for the Israeli soldiers at the checkpoints, our lives are cheap. This is the reality, but our lives are still precious to God.

A few days later, Iyad al-Hallaq, a 32-year old man with autism was killed without justification or mercy.  He did not have to die. This is the cruelty of the occupation. When they take our lives they also strip themselves of their humanity.

Of course, we will not wait for the occupation to achieve justice.  Occupations are unjust by their very nature.  How many Palestinians have been killed without account?  I will say it again:  our lives are cheap for them, but they are very precious to God. We cannot forget that.

I also want to mention another type of crime that is still spreading on our land. This week we read about M. G., a twenty-one-year-old “daughter.” We did not even know her name, as if it was worthless. She  was taken to a hospital in Deir al-Balah in Gaza in a very serious condition, with bruising and marks on her body, and she died there. The cause of death was severe beating on her head and parts of her body. Initial reports indicate that her father is responsible for her death. For some, “honor” made her death permissible, but it is precious to God. We cannot forget that.

There are things that are more dangerous and far worse than corona.

We must lament the violence in our world today, while hoping such incidents will not become “normal.”  We do not want to “get used to it” and so lose our feelings. Lamentation is important for a person who believes in God. In the Bible, there is a complete book on Lamentation and many psalms of lament too. We must be willing to feel the pain and cry to God, asking Him for mercy, justice and truth. We also should do what we can to change them. We should resist the “normalizing” of these things.

Lamentation is important, as it leads us to change the reality that we lament, and contribute to creating a better reality.

Last Sunday we celebrated Pentecost: the anniversary of the founding of the Church and the advent of the Holy Spirit. The early church offered an alternative vision for our world which is suffering under the yoke of sin and darkness. It was a church that proclaimed the good news that God is love and that He loves the world–the whole world–without discrimination.  It was a church that demonstrated the reality that God sent Jesus as Savior and Redeemer who laid down a new path that leads to a better life. On Pentecost, we see Jerusalem in its most beautiful form: the Capital of Peoples.  It is a totally different picture than Jerusalem we know today. God’s spirit removed all kinds of barriers, including ethnic and national barriers! We read about the diversity of that church and how they were all united with the Spirit of God.

“Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues” (Acts 2: 8-11).

The Holy Spirit also removed all social barriers. Here we see the significance of the quote from Joel’s prophecy:

“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy” (Acts 2: 17-18).

Here, we see absolute equality and justice. Here, we see that the Spirit of God does not divide, but gathers together.

Let us also not forget the values ​​embodied by the early church included participation and caring for the poor and the weak. Contrary to the world philosophy, they shared their belongings and what God had given them. Since the beginning of the church, they dedicated deacons to care for the poor and weak in society. This was the advantage of the first church.

The Church, the body of Christ, His bride, must present to the world a different paradigm and must embody a reality that is different from our current one – a world where mercy, truth, love and real freedom prevail. I feel sad when at times I see the Church living away from these ideals, while justifying racism, absolving the strong and the rich, losing their empathy for the suffering, and neglecting the gift of lamentation.  When the church cares primarily for itself, while forgetting and neglecting its surroundings, it forgets and neglects itself.

On the other hand, I find a great deal of solace when I see the Church preoccupied with the work of the Kingdom— the Kingdom of Christ, the Son of God—calling for truth, protecting the weak and embodying equality. This is our call: to proclaim the gospel, and to reflect it with our words, our behavior, and our ministries.

Today, we are called not to be satisfied with our current reality.  We are called to be brave and strong by the power of the Holy Spirit and to go to our world as the early Church did: free from fear and spreading the gospel message about the possibility of a better world through Jesus Christ.

Our call is to pray for and support our ecclesiastical institutions, all those who work to fight all kinds of discrimination, racism and hatred, and those who work for truth and justice. Let us contribute to the change we want to see in our world.  This is our moment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The concept of memory is also very important in scripture, God constantly reminds us to remember, but in a redemptive manner. For instance, God in the Book of Exodus commends the people of Israel to remember their position as strangers and oppressed people. And therefore, they ought to take care of strangers and the weak, and not commit the same crimes that were committed against them in Egypt. Likewise, in the Lord’s Supper we see Jesus commanding His disciples to remember who He is, and what He was going to do on the cross and through the resurrection. The message in both cases is not to live in or forget the past, but remember it in a redemptive way in order to be faithful to God.

The Nakba was and continues to be devastating for Palestinian Christians, approximately 60% of Palestinian Christians were uprooted and became refugees after the 1948 war, and their numbers continue to dwindle. Palestinian Christians in the 1948 period tended to be middle and upper class, and when they were dispossessed, a whole population of highly educated doctors, lawyers, businessman and politicians were destroyed. Libraries and schools were destroyed in cities like Haifa, Jaffa and West Jerusalem. One can still see the architectural legacy left behind by these people in Jerusalem today. One only has to walk around the neighbourhoods of Talbieh, Baqa’a and Qatamon to see the magnificent and beautiful houses. Not only were these Palestinian Christians educated and influential, but multicultural and creative. The parents of figures such as the scholar Edward Said, the educator and writer Khalil al-Sakakini and the pioneer Marie-Alphonsine Danil Ghattas would probably fit this category. They could move and bridge between languages, traditions and religions. We continue to lament over the loss of these brilliant individuals and communities.

However, we should not dwell too much over the bitter loss, for Palestinian Christians continue to embody resilience. We have been key figures in establishing schools, universities and hospitals. Most of the orphanages in Bethlehem were founded and manged by Palestinian Christians. The top university in Palestine, the University of Bir Zeit, was established by a Christian family. Furthermore, even Palestinian Christians in the diaspora have been leading figures. The famous Edward Said completely changed scholarship with his book Orientalism, and is still highly revered today after his death. There has been a revival of culture, art and music, despite objection and oppression. Special embroidery is collected from many regions to exhibit in museums, like the al-Munayer embroidery collection. Similarly, Palestinian Christians have been influential in civil society and politics in Palestine and abroad.

Theology has not been excluded in this embodiment of resilience. Palestinian Christian Theology is evolving and developing with expertise in unique areas. In particular, Palestinian Theology has challenged many boundaries and assumptions of Western theological understanding in the areas of theology of the land, reconciliation, justice and dialogue. This has been done by a diverse group of theologians from different cultural, linguistics, countries and denominations. Institutes such as the Bethlehem Bible College, along with its Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, Sabeel, Kairos, Dar al-Kalima, Musalaha and more have been pioneers in this area.

To conclude, we need to remember our history, including the ongoing Nakba, in a redemptive manner. Recognise its devastating impact, but at the same time, remembering the resilience of the Christians who have lived in this land before us. This source of resilience ought to transform us and give us motivation, energy and hope for the future of the Body of Christ in this land and blessings to all people.

By Prof. Salim Munayer. Lecturer at Bethlehem Bible College

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In order to avoid any confusion, we must begin with clarifying the difference between the ideas of ​​nationalism and ​​statehood. The Stanford University of Philosophical Science Dictionary explains that nationalism is made up of a particular ethnicity shared by a common tradition and civilization. The state is a political entity with a high degree of sovereignty, which may combine several different races. Therefore, we can say that nationalism does not depend on the state, and vice versa. In other words, a certain group of people can have a national feeling without a political state with an independent and sovereign entity. Hence, nationalism is not a modern idea dating back to the nineteenth century, but can be traced back for centuries. Therefore, some divide the history of the evolution of national thought and national identity into two eras. The first is “Primordialist National Identity” and the second is “Modern National Identity.” As for Palestinian nationalism, it has a unique character that includes these two historical eras. Throughout history, the Palestinians, especially Christians and Muslims after the seventh century, were connected to their land. Palestinian historian Nour al-Din Masalha asserts this in his book Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History as he says that “the connection of Palestinians to their land [Palestine] is inherent in their memory as the original people of this land.” In addition, we see that the Palestinians were proud of their civilization and clung to their role as protectors of the land and its holy sites. Nonetheless, in modern history, the Palestinian revolution on Egyptian rule in 1834 was the starting point and birth of the contemporary national identity of the Palestinian people.

Palestinian Christians, an integral part of the Palestinian people, played a fundamental and effective role in shaping the contemporary national identity. When the Ottoman Empire prevented Palestinian Muslims from joining educational institutions set up by Christians and missionaries due to the Empire’s fear of Western influence on the population, Palestinian Christians diligently pursued academic education. Because of this, they introduced technological and scientific advances and used them to serve their cause.

Perhaps the most important example is the interest in writing books on the history and geography of Palestine and adding it to school curriculum. For example, Khalil Bides, a Palestinian Christian from Jerusalem who became the first Palestinian director of an educational institute in 1890, wrote several books on the history and geography of Palestine. The Russian Seminary in Nazareth, at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the twentieth century, played an important role in the graduation of an elite group of Palestinian Christian intellectuals who influenced the Palestinian national concept, including Salim Qabain who wrote an article entitled, “A Palestinian Describing Palestinian Cities” in 1902.

As the colonial agenda of the West and the Zionist movement was articulated, Palestinian Christians confronted it tirelessly. Najib Nassar issued the Carmel Newspaper which focused on the challenge of Zionism. Following the footsteps of Najib Nassar, Issa al-Issa established the Palestine Newspaper in 1911. Al-Issa also participated in the founding of the Palestinian National Movement, which became the first contemporary national movement to defend the rights of the Palestinian people and confront colonial threats. In addition, Palestinian Christians played a major role in establishing the Islamic Christian Council, which was the first brick of the so-called “Palestinian Parliament”, which was held for the first time in 1919. Khalil Sakakini, a Palestinian Christian, was of the most important council members. It is worth mentioning that Sakakini also issued an Arab-Palestinian newspaper The Constitution in 1911. In 1920, with the convening of the Palestinian Parliament in Haifa and with the participation of the National Club of the Christian Youth Union, the community agreed to establish a Palestinian national government and organize the Palestinian national movement. Later, with the beginning of the Palestinian revolution in 1936, we see the role of Palestinian Christians such as Tawfiq Kanaan, Issa al-Bandak and others in defending the national cause and confronting British colonialism and the Zionist movement, especially with the increase of Jewish immigration to Palestine. They also called for the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.

Palestinian Christians were greatly affected by the war of 1948, with some 47,000 Palestinian Christians being displaced from their towns and villages. However, this suffering did not prevent them from completing their participation in the Palestinian national movement. At the dawn of the Palestinian revolution, Palestinian Christian figures played an unforgettable role in its establishment, such as George Habash, who was a founding member of Palestine Liberation Organization and founder of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Along with Habash were his fellow Christians: Wadih Haddad, Naif Hawatmeh, Father Ibrahim Ayyad and others.

In addition to the political and revolutionary work, many Palestinian thinkers and theologians wrote articles and books that confront Zionist colonial agenda and Christian Zionism, such as Edward Said, Emile Habibi and Father Rafik Khoury. With the outbreak of the First Intifada, Dr. Naim Ateek wrote his book, Justice and Only Justice: Palestinian Theology of Liberation in 1989, which marked a milestone in the formation of local theology that seeks to counteract the intellectual expansion of Christian Zionism, and to create a Palestinian Christian interpretation of some Old Testament verses used by Christian Zionists to justify occupation. Ateek’s writings emphasized the liberal Christian national concept and linked the Christian faith to the national cause. In the footsteps of Ateek, Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb wrote several Palestinian theological books that have helped to build and develop local Palestinian theological thought and introduce it globally. Additionally, we cannot overlook the role of Patriarch Michel Sabbah who was the first Palestinian Patriarch of the Latin Catholic Church in Palestine. He wrote several articles and books that influenced the Palestinian Christian reality and enriched the Palestinian Christian library. With the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000, Palestinian Christians continued to speak out for their just cause and to emphasize their national religious identity. We also see national Palestinian Christian figures such as Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb, Patriarch Sabbah, Archbishop Attallah Hanna, Rev. Dr. Hanna Katanacho, Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac and many others who write on behalf of their people and defend their national cause from a theological and humanitarian point of view in international forums. One of the most prominent examples of this is the work of a group of these thinkers and theologians who wrote the ecumenical “Kairos Palestine Document” in 2009.

The Palestinian Christian presence has been rooted in this land since the dawn of history. The Palestinian Christians did not hesitate to defend their national identity and their efforts to enhance the Palestinian progress through their active participation in local and international theological and political forums, as well as their construction of educational and health institutions that serve the Palestinian people. Theologically, they have been portraying the sufferings of their children by the suffering of Christ from the oppression of the Roman Empire. At the same time, they draw hope for their people through the resurrection of Jesus. The era of oppression and occupation today parallel the suffering of Good Friday; yet Sunday, the day of freedom and resurrection, is coming. In conclusion, and despite the obvious numerical decline of Palestinian Christians, they still play an important role in shaping the Palestinian national identity. However, the question remains: Where is the Christian role in influencing and promoting nationalism heading?

Yousef Kamal Al-Khouri

Lecturer at Bethlehem Bible College

Meir, Golda. “Golda Meir, on the Palestinians.” New York Time, Jan 14, 1974. (accessed Feb 10, 2019) https://www.aish.com/jw/me/Golda-Meir-on-the-Palestinians.html
Miscevic, Nenad. “Nationalism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. December 15, 2014. Accessed February 10, 2019. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/nationalism/.
Hastings, Adrian. The Construction of Nationhood: Ethnicity, Religion and Nationalism. Cambridge: University Press, 1997.
Masalha, Nur. Palestine: A Four Thousand Year History. Ebook. 1st ed. London, UK: Zed Books, 2018. Look also, Masalha, Nur. “The Concept of Palestine: The Conception Of Palestine from the Late Bronze Age to the Modern Period.” Journal of Holy Land and Palestine Studies 15(2) (2016): 143-202.
Foster, Zachary J. “The Invention Of Palestine”. Ph.D., Princeton University, 2017.P 160. Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/34686627/The_Invention_of_Palestine_Ph.D._Dissertation_Princeton_University_2017_
ا الراهب, متري. “الإيمان – الصمود – المقاومة المبدعة في الفكر المسيحي الفلسطيني.” Kairos Document. December 27, 2017. Accessed February 10, 2019. http://www.kairospalestine.ps/index.php/component/content/article/12-arabic/213-2016-12-27-10-32-55.
Bannoura, Daniel. Arab Nationalism Among Christian Palestinians in Early Mandate Palestine. Paper presented at Arabic and Its Alternatives: Religious Minorities in the Formative Years of the Modern Middle East (1920-1950). Leiden University: Netherlands, Feb 2017.
الراهب 2017
الراهب 2017
عيسى, حنا. “المسيحيون الفلسطينيون شركاء في تأسيس الحركة الوطنية الفلسطينية.” موقع أبونا: المركز الكاثوليكي للدراسات والإعلام – الأردن. February 02, 2018. Accessed February 18, 2019. http://www.abouna.org/holylands/المسيحيون-الفلسطينيون-شركاء-في-تأسيس-الحركة-الوطنية-الفلسطينية.
لقراءة وثيقة كايروس فلسطين: وقفة حق http://www.kairospalestine.ps/sites/default/files/Arabic.pdf[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The ancient story of Isaac and Ishmael has often been used by many to explain the origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Isaac is seen as representative of the Jewish people and the modern State of Israel; smart, chosen and with a spiritual destiny. Ishmael, is seen as representative of the Arab and Muslim world; wild, unreasonable and backward. [1]

The first time I was confronted with the idea that descendants of Isaac are different, blessed and ultimately in conflict with descendants of Ishmael was when I was 15, at a youth conference in Haifa. The Christian hostel we were staying at had a number of pamphlets with various religious messages on them. The smallest of them was a small cartoon book that claimed to explain “The Origin of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict”.

The first page depicted a picture of a Palestinian suicide bomber, blowing himself up shouting “Allahu Akbar” as Israelis were running away. Outside of the frame of the picture was a young boy asking his dad “Why do they hate us?”. The rest of the booklet explained that there is only one reason why Israelis and Palestinians fight today, and this is because of the ancient brothers’ feud between Isaac and Ishmael. One brother is blessed and the other is cursed. One is the son of promise and pride while the other is wild and born out of shame.

I then asked myself the following questions: Was I genetically wired to fight my Jewish neighbours and friends? Was there no choice in the matter? Am I predestined to be “a wild man”? Was I doomed to live in constant jealousy of the descendants of Isaac? Even at the age of 15 I realised this didn’t make any sense.

The New Isaac and Ishmael Narrative

Fast forward to 2017, and Isaac vs Ishmael has popped up again in both an old and a new way. Old, in the sense that it continues the main arguments and framework of Christian Zionist theology, and new in the sense that there is an additional twist.

I recently attended an Arabic speaking youth and young adult conference which I had never attended before. The conference has over 130 young people and once I arrived I felt  that there was a lot of excitement.

The level of manipulation techniques used by the speakers were overwhelming. From light cues to emotional hype, this group had it all. I was incredibly disturbed by everything I witnessed, as the messages and techniques were so aggressive in targeting the youth. Before and after the main speaker shared their message, many random youth were picked out of the crowd and declared that they were leaders of the future and that they would lead a generation that would speak and challenge Prime Ministers and the highest powers on earth. “You have a destiny! Your generation will conquer!” This is just one example out of the many I witnessed during this conference.

In this period of time where young people lack guidance and a purpose, particularly in this context, I could see how tempting it would be for them to soak in these words and attempt to find a social and spiritual purpose for themselves. Especially as they are less aware and able to deal with the risks of following and believing these messages.

The buildup reached its climax with a speaker from the United States. The speaker was the self-appointed Apostle Barbara Yoder. Later research revealed that Yoder has been identified as being part of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a group that has been described by many as ‘heretical’ and is deeply steeped in mysticism and a conquering “New Order”. It can also be described as:

“…a dominionist movement which asserts that God is restoring the lost offices of church governance, namely the offices of Prophet and Apostle. Leading figures in this seemingly loosely organized movement claim that these alone have the power and authority to execute God’s plans and purposes on earth. They believe they are laying the foundation for a global church, governed by them. They place a greater emphasis on dreams, visions and extra-biblical revelation than they do on the Bible…”[2]

Yoder began by telling us about a dream she had from God that very morning about a famous race horse that had a heart three times the size of a normal horse. This race horse had an Arabian grandfather, which apparently was somehow relevant to the 130 Arabs and all their hearts.

I could feel the real message on its way and then it hit: “God’s destiny for you the Arab Christians is to be John the Baptist and to prepare the way and serve the Messianic Jews, who are like Jesus coming to the Land”. This is our prophetic destiny as sons of Ishmael.

Never had I heard these biblical themes used in this way before. God had appointed us with the sole purpose of serving another race of people and going against that is going against God’s divine will and appointment.

One shock followed another when suddenly a Messianic Jewish music band was summoned on stage and explained that they are here to teach the Arab participants worship songs in Hebrew.

The next hour was filled with songs only in Hebrew and without any explanation of what they meant, even when the songs contained Zionist theology. Many of the participants did their best to sing along while others sat down looking confused, they were not warned beforehand nor did they understand what was going on. Some just stood with a glazed look, not sure what to do or how long this will go on.

The above disturbing experience and the echoing message that God’s sole plan for me and my people was to serve and prepare the way, was stuck in my head for a while. I was concerned that this theology, which has clearly been imported, would take hold and influence the young people at the conference.

The 822 Gathering Jerusalem

The 822 Gathering is a series of conferences that take place all around the world under the Watchmen Family. As a movement it falls under the Charismatic category with so called prophecy and intercession at the heart of its activities.

In 2016, the conference came to Jerusalem with the main theme of reconciling Isaac to Ishmael. There were many participants from China and other East Asian countries, but very few locals. When I heard about the theme, I decided to go through the recorded sessions to learn more. The conference claimed this was a historical and holy gathering of two brothers and that this was prophetically significant. Below are some highlights of how the new and false Isaac and Ishmael paradigm is being used today.

In Session 2 of the conference, Isaac and Ishmael took a weird theatrical twist. The video has been removed and is no longer available, however I managed to take some screenshots and summarize some of the main points.

The conference organizers claimed that this gathering will determine the harvest of who will be the sheep and who will be the goats and that this was the fulfilment of End Time theology and the fullness of the Gentile. A Messianic Jewish pastor was hoisted up on two people’s shoulders carrying a crown.

There was an eerie and disturbing feeling as he became the center of everyone’s attention. Soon after that, he was joined by some Arab Christian leaders who all helped hold his hands up. In the midst of all this the Israeli National Anthem begins playing and in total was played 3(!) times.

David Demian, the main organizer of the conference, then came on stage and explained that “the crown is lifted by Jewish hands and they are supported and protected by Arabs”. In between the national anthem singing and flag waving, the hosts also focused on condemning the United Nations for making a controversial decision regarding the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, claiming that it belongs only to the Jews.

Here are the screenshots from Session 2:

Session 3 (2:05:00-3:13:30) put the conference in 2nd gear with the Messianic Jewish Pastor claiming he is THE symbol of the Messianic Jewish community in Israel and that when the Arabs lifted his hands the night before, it was a symbol of the prophetic destiny of Arabs to lift up the Messianic Jews and to fulfil Israel’s end time prophecy. He stated that:

“Until now we have seen them [The Arab Christians] as an obstacle, but now I realise they are not going to be the obstacle, they are the ones that are going to come and lift us up to fulfil that destiny.”

If the images above were not obvious enough, one can see a clear explanation for the different roles that Isaac and Ishmael take here. One is the chosen one with unique privilege while the other is a servant.

This sentence neatly summarizes the change in attitude that many Christian Zionists have had regarding Arabs in general. Historically, Christian Zionists have viewed Arabs as inferior and as an obstacle to the Second coming of Christ. However with this new approach, Arabs (and specifically Arab Christians) are not exactly the wild and backward people that we are used to hearing about, but they have a role to play in serving another race of people to fulfil their destiny.

The rhetoric surrounding UNESCO’s decision regarding the temple mount continued but this time using the Arab leaders. As the Messianic Jewish Pastor continued: “Do the Arabs in this land understand this decision?…The Temple Mount belongs to the Jewish people…That land is our inheritance as Jews and Christians who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…stand up with me and declare that no political leader will not take away our inheritance.”

This tantrum of a rant continued as an Arab Pastor from East Jerusalem stood up, representing the Arab leaders there, and made a ‘covenant’ with the Messianic Jewish Pastor regarding the status of the Temple Mount, declaring the UN as “tyrants” and rebuking their decision. One can also see here an old colonial trick of using a ‘native’ to justify and validate the power structure and legitimize the group in power’s position.

In the past this was often used to maintain governance powers and a political status quo, thus reducing the chance of a resistance. Here one can see how it is being used to legitimize a certain religious/political stance and to solidify the racial and spiritual difference between to the two groups.

The rhetoric continued throughout the sessions, with the Arab and Jewish participants being shepherded on and off the stage on a regular basis, like some kind of show-animal on display. I spoke to one of the Arab participants after watching the video and asked them what they thought. The participant told me that they didn’t really understand what was going on, it was all in English and the only translation that was taking place was in Chinese. They explained how they got tired of being constantly asked to come on stage in front of everybody.

It was during the most important session, Session 6, where the locals were brought on stage and the wife of the East Jerusalem pastor previously mentioned got on stage with a Messianic Jewish woman. She claims to speak on behalf of the Arab Christians (2:53:40) and decides to read the story of Sarah and Hagar from Genesis, with her representing Hagar and the Messianic Jewish woman representing Sarah. This conference was so Isaac and Ishmael obsessed that even the mothers were (symbolically) dragged into it and what followed shocked me so much my jaw actually dropped. She proclaimed (3:02:45):

“Hagar servant of Sarai. Hagar remember your place….Will you accept the position that it is, as a servant? And I am here to say to my Jewish brothers and sisters we accept this place. We accept this place that you saw yesterday when we lifted up the arms of our Jewish brothers carrying the crown, we accept the place as a wife in a marriage relationship, it’s not the place of disgrace, it’s the place of the helpmate, the support, the partner, the edifier, we accept this place.”

This profession of servanthood on behalf of Arab Christians was not only insulting but quite a severe twisting of scriptures, not to mention drawing a parallel between being a servant and being a wife. Even the word here “servant” is the wrong one. The word intended here is slave. A pastor from the Galilee and the pastor whose wife declared the statement previously mentioned, both jumped in to declare a covenant and fulfil the Christian Arab’s destiny to the Jewish people (3:50:40-3:59:00).

Essentially, this pastor and his wife made a covenant to cement the Arab Christians as the slaves of the Messianic Jews.

During the last session one of the female Arab participants got on stage and explained that Chuck Pierce, one of the leaders and founds of the previously mentioned movement NAR, prophesied over them when he was here. He said there is a portal over them and made an End Time declaration. Initially, it was strange for me that he should be mentioned in this conference right at the end, but then it all made sense.

This conference was the starting point for the experience I had one year later. The person who was in charge of the youth program has also had a ‘prophetic correspondence’ (as early as 2012) with Chuck Pierce over a “rising threat to Israel” and has preached at his church. Now it was clear how the NAR were also behind this bigger conference and were supporting a Christian Zionist agenda.

The Conclusion

In conclusion, one can see how there has been a massive Christian Zionist (international and some local) attempt to spread this new paradigm of Isaac and Ishmael throughout the Holy Land. Groups like NAR, The Gathering and other Christian Zionists are pushing a new narrative that attempts to subjugate the Christian Arabs rather than eliminate, drive them out or ignore them.

During my Bachelor degree in Criminology and Sociology I studied the different characteristics of a cult and how they function. I am forced to conclude that both the youth event I attended and the larger conference displayed the main elements of a cult. I have never witnessed so many of the characteristics in one event and how aggressively they were being used, especially on the youth.

The level of racism, supremacy and wild misinterpretation of Biblical scriptures should ring alarm bells to all those that sincerely want to see both peace and justice between Israelis and Palestinians. The problem here lies in both the Christian Zionist use of a twisted theology and material influence, and for the Arab Christians the siding with such a power on the expenses of dignity and a theology that promotes real peace. While it is important to note that most Arab Christians do not subscribe to this, some do, some are taking advantage of the situation and others are being taken advantage of.

Perhaps one of the more worrying issues here is the willingness of some Arab leaders to take on this slave/servant role and to spread it in their communities and especially with young people through the medium of manipulative and cultish techniques.

[1] For example see: https://www.amazon.com/Everlasting-Hatred-Roots-Jihad/dp/1936488302  &  http://www.firstdallas.org/icampus/blog/the-islamicjewish-conflict-today/

[2] https://bereanresearch.org/dominionism-nar/

The theme of CATCP was “Christ the Center.” It explored how commitment to Christ affects every dimension of our lives – from worship to political engagement. In many respects, CATCP exhibits to thousands of western Christians what global Christian thinking looks like in the 21st century. This engagement is taking place on every continent, particularly where Christian thinking is engaging with poverty, violence, structural evil and political oppression. This is the Palestinian expression of it.

Yet throughout the world, such conferences also inspire critics. CATCP is no exception. Those who benefit from the status quo or who are recipients of the privileges of power will never celebrate conferences like this if they are in India, Guatemala, Nigeria, Indonesia or Palestine.

Participants in CATCP (or similar gatherings) experience two things. First, they develop a healthy degree of self-criticism and begin to learn how their own faith has been shaped by their national culture. They learn to hear “the other” and this experience changes them. Second, they join afternoon field trips where they meet refugees, the poor, and the oppressed and they make friends. For most, it is their very first such friend who helps them see across major cultural divides.

Christ at the Checkpoint will continue in 2020. It will be the sixth conference and will again bring to Bethlehem prominent world Christians as speakers. But more, it will bring together hundreds of participants from around the world who will study, travel and share meals with people they would never meet in their home cities.

Read more: http://www.comeandsee.com/view.php?sid=1349 

A Christian theology of the land must ask: How did the New Testament read the Old Testament? This is indeed a very important question when it comes to a Christian theology of the land. As a Palestinian Christian, I am dumbfounded by how many Christians read the promises of the land to Israel as if Jesus never came. Jesus is not only the center of our faith, but the point towards which the OT narrative has been going all along.

The place to start our investigation of the land theme in the NT, therefore, is the life of Jesus. “No biblical theology of the land is possible which bypasses Jesus on this issue”.^[1] It is of great significance that all four Gospels start their narrative of Jesus by linking him with the OT narrative, and by arguing that Jesus is in fact continuing this narrative. Matthew’s genealogy (1:1-17), Mark’s citation of Isaiah and Malachi (1:2-3), Luke’s account of the words of the angel and the prayers of Mary and Zechariah (1:16-17, 46-55, 68-79), and John’s claim that Jesus came to his “own” (1:11) – all point to the conclusion that the evangelists saw the “Jesus-event” that they are narrating as the continuation and the climax of the story of Israel. As Dunn confirms:

“Unless a NT theology both recognizes and brings out the degree to which the NT writers saw themselves as in continuity with the revelation of the OT and as at least in some measure continuing or completing that revelation, it can hardly provide a faithful representation of what they understood themselves to be about.”^[2]

The belief that the Jesus-event is the climax of the story of Israel is evident in Luke’s account of Jesus’ post-resurrection words to his disciples that everything written about him in “the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms” must be fulfilled: his suffering, resurrection, and the proclamation of the Gospel to the nations beginning from Jerusalem (Lk. 24:44-47). And as Enns comments:

“Jesus is not saying that there are some interesting Old Testament prophecies that speak of him… Rather, he is saying that all Scriptures speak of him in the sense that he is the climax of Israel’s story. The Old Testament as a whole is about him, not a subliminal prophecy or a couple of lines tucked away in a minor prophet. Rather, Christ—who he is and what he did—is where the Old Testament has been leading all along.”^[3]

In addition, N.T. Wright points out that it was Jesus himself, and not simply the NT writers, who communicated this impression:

“Jesus… claimed in word and deed that the traditional expectation was now being fulfilled. The new exodus was under way: Israel was now at last returning from her long exile. All this was happening in and through his own work.”^[4]

One of the most importance statements of Paul in this regard is 2 Cor. 1:20: “For all the promises of God find their yes in him”. This is “one of the most theologically pregnant statements in all of Paul’s writings”.^[5] Moreover, Walker argues that the phrase “all the promises” would necessarily include those concerning the land.^[6] In other words, the story of Israel, in its totality, including the part related to the land, must find its fulfilment – its yes – in Jesus. The place to start our investigation of the land theme in the NT, therefore, is the life of Jesus.

And this is why Palestinian theologians insist that we must read the OT prophecies through the lens of the New Testament. The coming of Jesus brings new meaning and new insights to the story and theology of Israel:

We, Christian Palestinians, believe, like all Christians throughout the world, that Jesus Christ came in order to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, and in his light and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we read the Holy Scriptures. We meditate upon and interpret Scripture just as Jesus Christ did with the two disciples on their way to Emmaus. As it is written in the Gospel according to Saint Luke: “Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures” (Lk. 24:27)[7]

[1] Walker, Peter. “The Land in the Apostles’ Writings.” In The Land of Promise. Edited by Philip Johnston and Peter Walker. Illinois: Apollos Intervasity Press, 2000, p. 115.

[2] J.D.G. Dunn, 2009, New Testament Theology: An Introduction, Abingdon Press, Nashville, TN, p. 23.

[3] P. Enns, 2005, Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Mich., p. 120 (emphasis in the original).

[4] Wright, N T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996, p. 243.

[5] G.K. Beale, 2011, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan, p. 638.

[6] P.W.L. Walker, 1996, Jesus and the Holy City: New Testament Perspectives on Jerusalem, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, p. 117.

[7] The Kairos Palestine Document (2.2.1).

What is the Promised Land? Why a particular land? These are questions that we have already discussed. They led us to conclude that the Land in the Old Testament has always had a universal dimension, and points toward expansion of the land and the inclusion of new “families” and new “lands” into the family and land of biblical Israel. This inclusive nature must be rediscovered and highlighted, especially in the face of the many exclusive voices today.

Let us consider the Abrahamic covenant. From the outset, God told Abram that in him “all the families of the earth shall be blessed”. Abram’s name was changed into Abraham because God wanted to make him “the father of a multitude of nations” (Gen. 17:5). T.D. Alexander observes:

“The promise that Abraham will become a great nation, implying both numerous seed and land, must be understood as being subservient to God’s principal desire to bless all the families of the earth.”^[1]

Moreover, in many Messianic prophecies, we see what we can describe as the “Messianic Land”. For example, Psalm 2:8 declares that God will give the king the nations as his inheritance and the ends of the earth as his possession (Ps. 2:8; see also Ps. 72: 8, 11). Micah 5:4 says that the ruler of Bethlehem “shall be great to the ends of the earth”, and Zechariah 9:10 speaks of the coming king that “his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth”. Finally, Isaiah 54:2-4 speaks clearly about the expansion of Jerusalem in the eschaton.

Psalm 87 is very striking in its inclusivity. It speaks of a day when Jerusalem will be a multinational city:

On the holy mount stands the city he founded; the Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things of you are spoken, O city of God. Selah

Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Cush— “This one was born there,” they say. And of Zion it shall be said, “This one and that one were born in her”; for the Most High himself will establish her. The Lord records as he registers the peoples, “This one was born there.” Selah

 Yohanna Katanacho comments on this Psalm:

“Psalm 87 puts a vision of equality and an absence of subordination before us. There are no second-class citizens in Zion. This equality is not just civic but is also covenantal. They all share the same God, are born in the same city, and registered by the same hands. Their linguistic, historical, and military differences are not important. What unites them is God himself. Geography is no longer a point of tension because Zion belongs to God, not Israel. It is the city of God, and he alone can grant citizenship in his city. Citizenship comes by divine declaration, not by biological rights.”[2]

Another striking statement that speaks of the inclusive nature of Israel in the coming age is the one by Ezekiel towards the end of his book, when he says that sojourners shall be allotted an inheritance among the Israelites:

So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God. (Ezek. 47: 21-23)

 Ezekiel seems here to reflect a tension in post-exilic Israel as it pertains to attitudes towards foreigners. Ezek. 44:5-9, in a manner similar to what we find in Ezra-Nehemiah, advocates an exclusive theology in an attempt to preserve the identity and purity of Israel. Ezek. 47:20-23, on the other hand, anticipates a time – in the coming age – in which a transformed and secure Israel will incorporate non-Israelites and allow them to have even an inheritance in the land.

The book of Isaiah also has a strong positive and inclusive attitude towards the nations. The Zion we find there will be inclusive of other ethnicities and nationalities, and the words of God will guide all the nations (Isa. 2:2-3). One of the clearest statements in Isaiah that shows a remarkably positive attitude towards the nations as it pertains to the temple is found in Isaiah 56. There, Isaiah claims that one day the temple will be a “house of prayer for all peoples”. In the new temple, everybody will be equal, reminiscent of the original state of humanity:

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will surely separate me from his people” and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the LORD… I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD, to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD, and to be his servants… these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples”. (Isa. 56:3-7)

Isaiah’s remarkable vision of a universal Zion and his statement that the temple will be called a house of prayer for all peoples, in addition to Ezekiel’s words about the equal status of the sojourners and their sharing of the inheritance reveal a voice within the OT tradition that hopes for a future in which Jerusalem, the temple, and the land will be inclusive and open to all.

We can thus conclude that the OT advocates for a vision in which the land becomes both universal and inclusive. One place for all peoples; a striking contrast to our reality today.

[1] T.D. Alexander, 2002, From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch, Paternoster Press, Cumbria, p. 146 (emphasis added).

[2] Y. Katanacho, 2012, Jerusalem is the City of God: A Palestinian Reading of Psalm 87, in S. Munayer & L. Loden (eds), The Land Cries Out. Theology of the Land in the Israeli-Palestinian Context, Wipf and Stock, Eugene, OR, p. 196.

will be destined for the fire.

For unto us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on His shoulders.

We will call him Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end.

He will reign,

establishing and upholding His Kingdom with justice and righteousness from that time until forever.”

Today, the unrest occurring in the Holy Land corresponds to the power structures of our day warring over land, ideologies and harmful theologies.

Our King, Jesus, invites us into life in the Kingdom of God that requires putting others before ourselves, uplifting the marginalized and devoting ourselves to a life of righteousness that encompasses reconciliation and justice.

As Advent is upon us, we remember that our King was born to a conflicted region. We are keenly aware this Christmas that Jesus calls us to be people of peace, and that we will know who the children of God are by those who are peacemakers.

“And who could have foreseen this?

He was of no consequence.

He had no beauty or glory.

He was rejected, despised;

A man of such sorrow, we’d cover our eyes.

But you, oh Bethlehem, small among Judah,

A ruler will come, ancient and strong.”

Overlooked by the powers of today, Bethlehemite citizens struggle to be seen and heard in the midst of religious and political tension. Christian and Muslim Palestinians in Bethlehem know, perhaps better than any, the strife of life under occupation and fleeing powers that wage violence against them just as Mary, Joseph and Jesus experienced.

Is it not in the unlikely places that Christ appears?

Was it not the marginalized shepherds of Beit Sahour that the angels first appeared to proclaim the birth of the Messiah?

Was it not in a humble grotto of Bethlehem that our King first graced the world with His presence?

Could it not be that in this place of which they say is a waste, this intractable conflict between Israel and Palestine, that there will be heard yet again the voices of mirth and gladness?

If our faith is rooted in the revolutionary man that was unassuming, meek and rejected by society yet overcame with self-sacrificing love, nonviolence and compassion, should we not follow in His footsteps?

When did following Christ look like political power-plays?

When did following Christ look like maneuvering foreign policy to hasten the coming of the end times?

When did following Christ begin to look like protecting oneself from the “other”?

When did following Christ mean that we look after ourselves and not the alien (read “immigrant”)?

When did following Christ mean that we profit at the expense of those less fortunate?

When did following Christ become a social club for the upper-middle class?

When did following Christ stop looking like Christ himself?

Writing to you from the heart of Bethlehem, Palestine, I ask,

“When will we see that the Kingdom is open to all? When will we begin to dismantle the barriers of “us” and “them”? When will we, Christians, reflect the self-sacrificing, nonviolent, compassionate love of Jesus to those around us?”

As tear gas and sound bombs sound outside my office on this declared “Day of Rage” in response to the United States’ current administration’s decision to declare Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, I implore you to consider the way of Jesus. Harmful interpretation of prophecy and subsequent theology is literally killing people. If I know anything to be true of Jesus, it is that there is no room for hatred, violence or even separate-ness of the “other” in the Kingdom. Any theology that pits one group of people against another is not one that comes under the authority of Jesus.

Let us look to the unlikely places this Christmas season. Let us go there. Let us see the light that is dawning in these places where people are walking in darkness. Let us increase our joy alongside the marginalized. Let us enter into suffering as our King did. For we know, in the end, that in this place of which they say is a waste, there will be heard again the voice of mirth and gladness.

Amen.

(Paraphrased: Isaiah 9:5-7; Matthew 5:9; Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2; Jeremiah 33:10-11)

By Kamila Gerasim

Kamila is volunteering full-time with Bethlehem Bible College in the Communications Department. In addition to her love for writing and sharing stories, her endeavors in Bethlehem and greater Palestine involve facilitating cultural immersion programs for young adults from North America to see first-hand the realities that those living here encounter. At times deemed the “eternal optimist,” Kamila holds fast to the future hope of restoration and reconciliation of all things back to God. When she’s not writing, or organizing trips, you’ll catch her training and competing with the Ultimate Palestine frisbee team.