Voices for Justice: EPF PIN Member Writes About A Sabeel Witness Visit
Last month a group of 12 people from 6 countries went on a Sabeel witness pilgrimage. The focus was the Forgotten Faithful, Christians living in Palestine today, seen through the lens of Palestinian liberation theology. Led by the Rev Dr. Naim Ateek and Omar Haramy from Sabeel Jerusalem, we met with Christian clergy and lay people, worshipped with them, received hospitality from them, and listened to their stories and struggles.
Christians comprise only about 1% of the population, and many believe that as their numbers continue to dwindle only the holy places that are sacred to Christian history, faith, and formation will be left, and their stories will be left to be told by others who are trained guides but not practicing Christians. In essence Palestine after 2000 years will become a Christian museum.
Christians in the land we call holy do not speak in one voice or practice their religion using the same formula. Like Christians throughout the world they find voice and practice through a variety of paths. But we found that what they all could agree on was that they belong to the land where Jesus walked, that God is walking with them and has not forgotten them, and that they are the living stones who cry out to a world that often does not hear them.
In many places we heard from church leaders, both ordained and lay, who are binding together with one another to find ways where they can share their resources, gifts and talents. Previously working in isolation, they now come together maybe out of necessity but we also discovered out of mutual respect and care.
Just as we began our journey the Church of the Resurrection, what Western Christians call the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, was just being reopened after the various Christian leaders of that holy place closed it down following news that the Israeli government was going to begin taxing church properties not being used for worship, an act that would shutter many church institutions like schools, hospitals, and clinics. Having spoken in one voice, they got the attention of the wider world and Israel walked back their threat - many believing only temporarily - because it was Lent and Holy Week and Easter, all big tourist draws. Some have felt that perhaps the leaders spoke up because this crisis had to do with money and their voices are often more silent around the issues of ending the occupation, settlements, the crisis in Gaza, house demolitions, child detentions, checkpoints, refugees, etc. One thing is clear: religion and politics cannot be separated in that part of the world.
What are we to do?
What we can do is pray that the Christian voices will continue to speak up as they seek justice not only for their flocks but also for all who live under occupation and oppression.
We can raise our own voices in solidarity, challenging our own church and government to see the other narrative, to look through a different lens, to wake up to the cries of our sisters and brothers in Palestine.
We can educate ourselves by
-reading Naim Ateek’s new book, A Palestinian Theology of Liberation: The Bible, Justice, and the Palestine-Israel Conflict and the Kairos Palestine Document;
-using these study materials:
Why Palestine Matters: The Struggle to End Colonialism [https://whypalestinematters.org]
We can familiarize ourselves with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and how we might change our own buying and investment policies to help influence the end of the occupation.
We can attend the General Convention in Austin this summer to bear witness to the plight of our Christian sisters and brothers in Palestine and testify to resolutions on these issues.
We can go to Palestine with Sabeel and other alternative witness groups and hear the stories, walk the real walk of Jesus who sought justice for the oppressed, the occupied, and the marginalized, and then come home and tell what we have seen and heard.
Next year in Jerusalem! May it be so.
