Let Their Faces Move You - fosna.org · Palestinians. In a very moving song written by Sari Ateek...

Issue 33 - Summer 2004 1

Let Their Faces

Issue 33 - Summer 2004

In T

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“ will cut off your electricity and your watersupplies. You will be like a dead olive tree.” With thesewords a few months ago, the soldiers left the house ofan elderly Palestinian woman in a small village east ofBethlehem. They had asked her and her family to leavethe home and the land that the family has nurturedfor nearly 200 years. In the valley below the village,the ancient olive groves, comprising of trees that wereoriginally planted by the Romans, have been completelyuprooted to make way for the 8 metre high concretewall and series of fences that now snake for hundredsof kilometres around the Palestinian territories destroy-ing thousands of acres of land and hundreds of homes- everything in its wake, cutting people off from fami-lies, work, schools, clinics, shops. Across the valley,yet another new settlement is being built on land thatthe farmers have cultivated for centuries, and wheresettlers have ‘expropriated’ the villagers’ remaining ol-ive groves. When the wall is complete, the villagers

will not have access to the nearest school or clinic, andcheckpoints, the other side of the village, will in effectimprison them in their own homes. Without electricityor water the villagers will almost certainly be forced out.Thousands of people, including hundreds of Christianfamilies who trace their origins to the early PalestinianChristian community, have already left the Bethlehemarea. This is the reality for dozens of ancient Palestiniancommunities today. It is a subtle (and not so subtle),insidious and strategic process of ethnic cleansing that istaking place. Yet it is not just the world that politically,militarily and financially supports the injustices of theaggressor, whilst remaining silent on the human rightsabuses being committed daily on a vast scale against awhole civilian population entirely against internationallaw. Millions of Christians who uphold a ‘Zionist’agenda, support these acts and are complicit by their verytheology in the violence of oppression and injustice be-ing perpetrated against the Palestinian people.

by Andrew Ashdown

We

...Let Their Cries Reach Your Heart”

Move You...

Editorialby Andrew Ashdown p.1

Biblical Reflectionby Naim Ateek p. 4

Challenging Christian Zionismby Rosemary Radford Reuther p.6

Sabeel Conference Statement p.8Report on the Conferenceby Janet Lahr Lewis p.12

Pentecost Hymnby Wendy Ross-Barker p.11

Snapshots p.14

IFOS Snapshots p.18

“

2 Issue 33 - Summer 2004

It was to address this issue that the 5th InternationalSabeel Conference, “Challenging Christian Zionism” washeld in Jerusalem in April 2004. It was a huge privilegeto join over 500 delegates from over 30 countries, in-cluding renowned theologians and senior Church lead-ers, seeking to address, and answer, the devastating anddangerous implications of Christian Zionism. Chris-tian, Jewish, and Muslim theologians explored the his-tory and theology of Christian Zionism and its socialand political implications. Both Israeli and Palestinianspeakers lent a powerful experiential dimension to thepresentations. We are all familiar with the pressures andrisks that pertain to ‘speaking out’ on this issue. Giventhe need for courageous and prophetic witness from theChurch as a whole on this matter, it was a huge disap-pointment to all the delegates that the Archbishop ofCanterbury, did not attend in person. We were gratefulhowever that he sent his Ecumenical Secretary to givehis address.

Given the practical difficulties faced by Palestinians inattending the Conference (there is little freedom of move-ment for ordinary Palestinians), the Conference as awhole ‘went out’ to the people. One day was spent inRamallah at the Friends Boys School. That afternoon,President Yasser Arafat received us in what little remainsof his headquarters in the city. Another day was to havebeen spent at Bethlehem University in Bethlehem, butbecause of Israel’s targeted assassination of Dr. Abd-El-Aziz Rantisi in Gaza the day before we were due to trans-fer to Bethlehem, and the declaration of a three-day pe-riod of mourning it was advisable not to go ahead withour planned visit. A hastily arranged telephone link-upbetween the Notre Dame Conference Centre in Jerusa-lem and Bethlehem, enabled one of the scheduled speak-ers who does not have a permit to get to Jerusalem toaddress the conference by telephone hook-up.

Yet, for the quality of all the speakers and their presentations,the greatest strengths of the conference were perhaps the oppor-tunity to experience something of the situation ‘on the ground’,and to engage with local and international people who are com-mitted to working for a just peace in Palestine and Israel. Onone of the days, we were warmly welcomed by the director ofthe Al-Aqsa Mosque to visit the Dome of the Rock compound.This was a huge act of generosity, given that the Dome of theRock has been closed to all non-muslims for three years; and towelcome 500 of us to visit the site was no small invitation. Itwas a witness to how highly Sabeel is respected by people ofdifferent faiths in Jerusalem, and of the success of Sabeel’s workof bridge-building, which is one of its cornerstones.

We also visited the Wall at Abu Dis and Bethany. No picturesor descriptions can fully prepare one for the impact of the wall;for its sheer size; the way it is cutting communities in two; andthe sheer destruction and theft of land wrought by its construc-tion. The Wall is now almost complete around the Bethlehemarea. Its social, economic and environmental impact upon allwho are imprisoned behind it is huge. It is a monstrous indict-ment of an ever-deepening policy of apartheid, and it is nothingshort of a criminal action of huge proportions, built with theimplicit and explicit complicity and support of western govern-ments.

So what now? Sabeel is committed to peace with justice for allthe people of Palestine and Israel, and non-violent advocacy forjustice. It continues to be a vital resource for Palestinian Chris-tians, not just in Palestine and Israel, but increasingly in neigh-bouring countries as well. Its work is ever-growing internation-ally through the Friends of Sabeel groups in the United States,Canada, UK, Ireland, Scandinavia, Australia, and The Nether-lands. In an afternoon dedicated to strategy, all the delegatesreaffirmed their commitment to working to challenge the pow-erful influence of Christian Zionism in the Churches, particu-larly in the United States, where Christian Zionists have a direct



influence on the policies of government. The following arejust a few ways by which it is suggested this could be achieved:

* by the continuation of conferences internationally that ex-plore a much more inclusive understanding of the scriptures,and the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim imperative of work-ing for peace, justice and righteousness.

* through publications and other media formats addressingthe history and theology of Christian Zionism (the work ofStephen Sizer, Marc Ellis and several other theologians whoattended the Conference comes to mind).

* The continued lobbying of governments. All Christiansincluding Church leaders have a particular responsibility inthis respect,.

* Through the widespread informing and education of Chris-tians everywhere of both the reality of the situation in Pales-tine, and of the theological issues that underlie the historyof injustice that has been perpetrated on the Palestinian peo-ple by the Zionist agenda.

* Through visits to Palestine. There can be no greater in-sight to the realities of the situation than to make a personalvisit. Sabeel will be planning a series of solidarity visits overthe next few years.

* We also urge greater contact with and support for the Chris-tian community in Palestine and Israel.

We in the churches need to challenge theological principlesthat help to create and to sustain oppression, but most of all,we need to take up the prophetic mandate to speak out againstall that is unjust and that only sustains a cycle of hatred andviolence. Reconciliation can only begin where there is rec-ognition and acknowledgement of truth, and repentance forall that has created violence and suffering. South Africapresents us with a useful model in this respect. For whilstinjustice, violence and human rights abuses are being perpe-

trated on a daily basis by the state of Israel against the civil-ian Palestinian population, and whilst western nations, andchurches worldwide, acquiesce with their policies, it is un-likely that appalling acts of revenge committed out of de-spair will cease or that peace will be attained.

Whilst recognising that we have a huge and seemingly im-possible task ahead of us, the conference in Jerusalem in Apriloffered hope in reminding us that awareness of the reality inPalestine and Israel is growing significantly worldwide, andthat there are many who are committed to this work. Butthere is little time. For every day that we hesitate to pro-claim the truth, and speak out in love; for every day thatjustice is denied, innocent Palestinians and Israelis are dyingand the situation is becoming more and more desperate.

In the course of the conference we were treated to some won-derful performances of dance, singing and music by youngPalestinians. In a very moving song written by Sari AteekNaim’s son, he writes of the oppressed in Palestine: “Lettheir faces move you, let their cries reach your heart. Thecompassion of Jesus is what sets you apart. If you’vebeen searching for a way to please him, then you’ll listen- he has shown the way. Do justice. Love mercy. Walkhumbly with your God. How long will the earth keepsilent? Who’ll say, ‘enough’s enough’?”

This is the underlying principle behind the work of Sabeel.“ Speak the truth. Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly withyour God.” When we do so, then there will be peace forIsraeli and Palestinian, for Jew, Christian and Muslim. It isthe only way forward. We have begun the work. Now is thetime to continue it apace - to strive unceasingly for the goalfor which we all long, and which is so long overdue - peacewith justice for everyone in the land.


The Revd. Andrew Ashdown, Chair of Friends of Sabeel, UK.


The following reflection is inspired by Dr. BarbaraRossing’s book The Rapture Exposed, Westview, 2004. Barbaragave one of the Bible studies at the Fifth International SabeelConference. Unfortunately, I did not hear her, as I did nothear most of the other speakers because I was busy going inand out to attend to organizational matters.

After the conference, I read Barbara’s book. It inspired meto write a sermon which I had the privilege of preaching lastMay at Chichester Cathedral in England. In this issue ofCornerstone, I am writing this reflection on Revelation 12:11using material that has primarily been drawn from Barbara’sbook. I believe that its message is a fitting follow up to ourconference on Christian Zionism.

Revelation is probably the most mis-understood book of the Bible and ithas been opened to much abuse. Itswonderful message has been cloudedand even buried by a misguided es-chatology of the End times. Ratherthan marginalizing and neglectingRevelation, it is important to retrieveand to reclaim it as a New Testamentbook that contains a very importantmessage of hope and victory forChristians and especially for all wholive under persecution and oppres-sion. Instead of leaving the book as the sole property ofcrazed fundamentalists, it is important for Christians to studyit and to discover its spiritual and theological value. Revela-tion is not a guide pointing the way to a violent end of the

world through the battle of Armageddon, it is a book thatguides Christians to live a life of victory and faithfulness toGod even when they are persecuted and oppressed by em-pire.

Those of us who live in Palestine/Israel feel the presence ofempire with Israel’s domination and oppression of the Pal-estinians. The question that confronts us continuously isthis, “how can we conquer?” Believe it or not, this is a veryimportant part of the message of the book of Revelation. Itwas significant to the Christians at the end of the first cen-tury; and it is significant for us today.

Every letter to the seven churchesof Asia Minor in Revelation usesthe word “conquer”. One needsto understand this obsession for“conquering” or for victory, againstthe background of the RomanEmpire itself. “Victory” was theLatin name of the military goddessof Rome. Victory, nike in Greek,was a goddess that was worshipedby the Romans. Soldiers carriedits symbol of the winged goddesswhen they went to battle. Its stat-

ues were erected everywhere with one of its feet on the globesymbolizing Rome’s domination of the whole world. Romewas victorious in its wars, conquests, and control. Nothingcould stand in its way. Graffiti inscription on a rock in

BIBLICAL REFLECTION

HOW CAN WECONQUER?

“But they have conquered ... by the blood of the Lamband by the word of their testimony, for they did notcling to life even in the face of death”(Revelation 12:11)

By Naim Ateek

Revelation is not a guide point-ing the way to a violent end ofthe world through the battle ofArmageddon, it is a book thatguides Christians to live a life ofvictory and faithfulness to Godeven when they are persecutedand oppressed by empire.



Arabia that goes back to the first century says, “Romansalways win”. Rome’s propaganda machine explained thatvictory, or nike, in wars brought peace and prosperity - PaxRomana. John the writer of Revelation had the guts to say,“no” to Rome’s victory. He described its empire as a de-monic whore riding on a beast greedily seducing and de-stroying the world (Rossing, 105).

John wanted to give a different theology of victory thanthat presented by empire. He was sending a word of hopeand encouragement to the Christians who were under per-secution. He presents them with a revolutionary theology.He says that Christians have power and they can conquer.According to Revelation 12:11, Christians can conquer bythe blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.

1. Christians can conquer by the blood of the Lamb. Theword “lamb” has a number of references in the New Testa-ment. John the Baptist refers to Jesus as “the lamb of Godwho takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). Paulwriting to the church in Corinth says, “For our paschal lamb,Christ, has been sacrificed...” (1Cor. 5:7). For Paul, Christis the slain lamb whose blood has been shed for the salva-tion and liberation of the world. Webelieve that Jesus has defeated evilthrough his death and resurrection.The cross of Christ reminds us ofhis violent death at the hands of thereligious leaders of his day in collu-sion with the powers of the state. Italso reminds us of Christ’s victoryover the powers of evil. Any vio-lence should make us cry out againstit: enough to violence, enough to thesuffering of the innocent people ofthe world.

We conquer by the blood of thelamb that was slain for the redemp-tion of the world. The shedding ofJesus’ blood has become a symbol of the blood of all inno-cent people who are killed every day. We must resist vio-lence and stand against it. We must not inflict violence, wemust defeat it by the blood of the lamb. The lamb slainhelps us to take a stand against all those who shed the bloodof others. The blood of Christ is a constant reminder thatpeople’s blood must not be spilt. It is a source of power forus through which we can conquer. “The book of Revela-tion deals with the opposition between two kinds of powerin our lives and in our world: the power of oppressive sys-tems of domination versus the power of God’s Lamb to bringlife and healing... In place of the vision of military victoryand power offered by Rome - a vision still offered by impe-rial powers today - Revelation offers the amazing vision ofthe victory of God’s slain Lamb, Jesus” (Rossing, 108).

2. The second way by which we can conquer is through theword of our testimony. This is the “martyria,” the way wecan witness. Rossing has suggested that this word, “martyria”comes from the courtroom. “...We conquer by putting theunjust empire on trial and telling the truth aboutit...Revelation aims to convince us that Jesus’ model of Lambpower is a model of victory more powerful than Rome’smodel of nike as military conquering” (Rossing,120). “Inplace of overwhelming military strength, we are given theimage of the Lamb’s nonviolent power. In place of Rome’simage of inflicting slaughter on the world, Revelation tellsthe story of the Lamb who has been slaughtered - and whostill bears the scars of that slaughter. This reversal of imagesmust have come as a big surprise to first-century Christiansaccustomed as they were to Rome’s images of power andvictory. Revelation undertakes to reveal what true powerand true victory is: At the heart of the power of the universestands Jesus, God’s slain Lamb” (Rossing, 110). In our lifetoday in the midst of empire, we feel we are victims of vio-lence and terrorism as the early Christians living in the Ro-man Empire were. We see many “beasts” of violence, ter-rorism, occupation, poverty, injustice, humiliation, and de-

humanization. We must speak out.We must stand against the injusticeand expose it. We conquer by theword of our testimony.

Today in the conflict over Palestine,we speak out against Israel’s illegalmilitary occupation of the WestBank and Gaza. We can live inpeace with Israel, but justice mustbe done to the Palestinians. Theoccupation, illegal under Interna-tional Law, must end. Without jus-tice for the Palestinians no peace ispossible for Israel. This is the wordof our testimony. This is our wit-ness.

The blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony areconnected together. It is faith and action. Our eyes arefixed on the cross. Yes, the cross that was a symbol of vio-lence and terror has become to us a symbol through whichwe can conquer. Therefore, we stand in witness. We con-quer by the word of our testimony. In Revelation, John re-defines victory and conquering. God’s people can conquernot by the power of the sword but by remaining faithful toChrist and by testifying to God’s victory in self-giving love.We do not conquer by waging wars and by killing people.We conquer by standing for what is right, no matter howlong it takes. We conquer by commitment to truth, by wit-nessing to God’s self-sacrificial love in Jesus Christ. AsRossing says, “Nowhere in Revelation do God’s people ‘wagewar.’ What they do is ‘conquer’...and they do that by the

Today in the conflict over Pales-tine, we speak out against the ille-gal military occupation of Israel ofthe West Bank and Gaza. We canlive in peace with Israel, but jus-tice must be done to the Palestin-ians. . . . Without justice for thePalestinians no peace is possible forIsrael. This is the word of our tes-timony. This is our witness.



Lamb’s own blood and by their courageous testimony,not through Armageddon or war. In contrast to Rome’stheology that defined Victory as military conquest, Rev-elation develops a counter-theology of the nonviolentvictory (nike) of Jesus, God’s slain Lamb, in which ‘evil isovercome by suffering love,’ not by superior power.” Weconquer through the power of God’s vulnerable, nonvio-lent love.

Theologian Ward Ewing writes, “Lamb power is the powerof vulnerable, but strong, love to change the world...Livingby Lamb power means we accept the cross as the ulti-mate expression of love...If we are to follow the Lamb,we cannot remain safe and secure...Vulnerability - theprimary characteristic of Lamb power - includes by defi-nition the possibility of suffering.” Lamb power “is thepower of nonviolent resistance and courage in opposi-tion to injustice; it is the power of solidarity and forgive-ness” (Rossing, 112-113).

This reflection is a call to nonviolent resistance in theface of injustice. It is a call against violence and terror-ism. It is our call to fellow Palestinians to stop the vio-lence. It is our call to Israel to stop the violence. It is acall for all of us to abandon the way of empire, the way ofdomination and oppression. It is a call to do whateverwe can to end the occupation of the Palestinian territo-ries. It is a call to follow the way of Jesus, the slain lamb.

One of the famous quotations against violence fromMartin Luther King reads, “The ultimate weakness ofviolence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the verything it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, itmultiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar,but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.Through violence you murder the hater, but you do notmurder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate.Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, add-ing deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can dothat. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

This is the power of the slain lamb and the power of ourwitness. This is the message of Revelation. Yes, we canconquer by the blood of the lamb and the word of ourtestimony.

For further reading:- Wes Howard - Brook & Anthony Gwyther, Unveiling Empire (Maryknoll: Orbis Book, 1999)- R.J. Mc Kelvey, The Millennium and the Book of Revelation (Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press, 1999)

From April 14-18 I was in Jerusalem for the fifth interna-tional Sabeel conference on “Challenging Christian Zion-ism: Theology, Politics and the Palestinine-Israel Conflict.”Sabeel is a Christian liberation theology movement foundedby the Palestinian Anglican priest theologian, Naim Ateek,author of the book, Justice and Only Justice: A PalestinianTheology of Liberation (Orbis, 1989).

Sabeel as a movement has three interconnected goals. Oneis to knit together the dwindling and fragmented Palestin-ian Christian community to speak and work together as thePalestinian local church, with all of its many traditions. Thesecond is to develop a vision of justice for the Holy Landthat brings together two peoples (Israeli and Palestinian) andthree religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam). The thirdis to communicate this liberating vision, as well as its cri-tique of the theological justifications for Palestinian oppres-sion, to the rest of the world, especially the Christians of theWest. To promote this work of international communica-tion and dialogue, Sabeel has developed a number of sup-port groups in Western countries, called “InternationalFriends of Sabeel”(IFOS). The largest of these are Friendsof Sabeel North America, which includes U.S. and Cana-dian branches, and Friends of Sabeel-UK. There are alsosmall but committed Friends of Sabeel-Scandanavia andAustralin. Recently IFOS groups have sprung up in Irelandand the Netherlands. These groups promote conferences andstudy materials on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and challengeChristians to become aware of the use and abuse of theol-ogy in relation to this issue.

A movement to develop a Palestinian liberation theologybegan in 1990 and held several conferences and consulta-tions before it was formally organized as Sabeel. The talks ofits first conference were published in the book, Faith andthe Intifada (Orbis, 1992), edited by Rosemary Ruether,Naim Ateek and Marc Ellis. In addition to internationalconferences Sabeel promotes many local support activitiesfor Palestinian Christian groups, clergy, women, youth, etc.The IFOS groups hold regional conferences in their coun-tries each year. Its quarterly journal, Cornerstone, reportson these events and reflects on current issues.The most recent conference this April addressed Christian

Challenging


The Rev. Dr. Naim Ateek is the Directorof Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center



Christian ZionismZionism, the most egregious type of abusive Christian the-ology that justifies the displacement of the Palestinians bythe state of Israel. What is Christian Zionism? This is a the-ology developed in the nineteenth century by EvangelicalProtestants in England and the United States. It affirms thefollowing thesis: the election of Israel by God continues inthe Jewish people today. This people must return to thePromised Land and refound Israel as a nation. This returnsignifies the redemption of the world in the last days. Itmust be expressed by the rebuilding of the Jewish temple inJerusalem (only possible by destroying the present Muslimedifices - the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque).Christ will then return, and elect a number of Jews who willbe converted to Christianity. Together with true believingChristians (a category which excludes most Christians,Catholic, Orthodox and liberal Protestants), these believerswill be raptured to heaven, while God purges the earth ofunbelievers in the battle of Armageddon. Then the believ-ers will return to live in a redeemed earth.

This theology, held by a minority of evangelical Christiansin the West, has created an alliance with the Jewish ZionistRight of the Likud party, despite its tacit anti-semitism. Italso has come into great political power in the US throughits funding by wealthy supporters and its influence on theleaders of the US Congress and the Bush administration.The conference addressed the historical roots and develop-ment of this theology among English and North Americanfundamentalists, its use and abuse of the Bible and its po-litical power in current global conflicts in the Middle East.Jewish and Muslim, as well as Christian scholars and socialactivists, addressed the ramifications of this marriage of the-ology and politics. Among the Jewish speakers were JeffHalper, founder of the Israeli Committee against HouseDemolitions, and Marc Ellis, a Jewish liberation theologian.Stephen Sizer and Don Wagner addressed the historical de-velopment of Christian Zionism in the UK and the USA,both published authors in this area. Catholic Biblical scholarMichael Prior, author of The Bible and Colonialism (1997)addressed the use of the Bible by Jewish and Christian Zi-onism. Mainline churches also entertain a more diffuse sortof Christian Zionism that has much the same effect of as-

suming that Jews have an exclusive right to theland in a way that eliminates the rights and eventhe existence of Palestinians. This was the subjectof my talk at the conference. A book will be forth-coming from the papers of this gathering.

Since Palestinians in the Occupied Territories arelargely unable to come to Jerusalem due to Israelipolicies of permanent curfew, the organizers soughtto bring the conference to them by holding oneday of the meeting in Ramallah and another dayin Bethlehem. The day in Ramallah went smoothly.Unfortunately on Saturday evening (April 17) itwas announced that the Israelis had carried out atargeted assassination of Hamas leader, Dr. AbdelAziz Rantisi. Immediately all access to the occu-pied territories in the West Bank, as well as Gaza,was cut off. There was no way nine buses carrying450 people could get to Bethlehem. So the finalday was held in Jerusalem, with some of the Beth-lehem speakers walking across a hill area to cometo the conference illegally. In a shocking way therealities of our context impinged on our delibera-tions, not as abstractions, but as matters of lifeand death. For further information on Sabeel, seewww.sabeel.org andwww.fosna.org.

Rosemary RadfordRuether is the Car-penter Professor ofFeminist Theol-ogy at the gradu-ate TheologicalUnion inBerkeley, Cali-fornia. She isthe author orthe editor of38 books.

by Rosemary Radford Ruether

Issue 33 - Summer 2004 7Issue 33 - Summer 2004 7


Therefore, we commit ourselves to the following principlesas an alternative way (Sabeel):* We affirm that all people are created in the image of Godand called to honor the dignity and respect the equal rightsof every human being.* We call upon people of good will everywhere to reject thetheology of Christian Zionism and all parallel religious andideological fundamentalisms that privilege particular peo-ple at the expense of others.* We are committed to the power of non-violent resistanceto defeat the occupation and attain a just and lasting peace.* With renewed urgency we warn that the theology of Chris-tian Zionism is leading to the moral justification of empire,colonization, apartheid, and oppression.

Moreover, we affirm that a just and lasting peace in Pales-tine and Israel must be based on the Jerusalem Sabeel Docu-ment: Principles for a Just Peace in Palestine-Israel (2004).1

Sabeel’s vision embraces two sovereign states, Palestine andIsrael, which will enter into confederation or even a federa-tion, possibly with other neighboring countries, where Je-rusalem becomes the federal capital. Indeed, the ideal andbest solution has always been to envisage ultimately a bi-national state in Palestine-Israel where people are free andequal, living under a constitutional democracy that protectsand guarantees all their rights, responsibilities, and dutieswithout racism or discrimination - one state for two nationsand three religions.

This is where Sabeel takes its stand. We will stand for jus-tice. We can do no other. Justice alone guarantees a peacethat will lead to reconciliation and a life of security and pros-perity for all the peoples of our land. By standing on theside of justice, we open ourselves to the work of peace —and working for peace makes us children of God.

God demands that justice be done. No enduring peace,security, or reconciliation is possible without the founda-tion of justice. The demands of justice will not disappear.The struggle for justice must be pursued diligently and per-sistently but non-violently.

“What does the Lord require of you, to act justly, to lovemercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

1 See www.sabeel.org

“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called thechildren of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Christian Zionism is a modern theological and politicalmovement that embraces the most extreme ideological po-sitions of Zionism, thereby becoming detrimental to a justpeace within Palestine and Israel. The Christian Zionistprogramme provides a worldview where the Gospel is iden-tified with the ideology of empire, colonialism, and milita-rism. In its extreme form, it places an emphasis on apoca-lyptic events leading to the end of history rather than livingChrist’s love and justice today. We also repudiate the moreinsidious form of Christian Zionism pervasive in themainline churches that remains silent in the face of the Is-raeli occupation of Palestine. Therefore, we categoricallyreject Christian Zionist doctrines as a false teaching thatundermines the biblical message of love, mercy, and justice.

We further reject the contemporary alliance of ChristianZionist leaders and organizations with extremist elementsin the governments of Israel and the United States that arepresently seeking to impose their unilateral preemptive strat-egies and militaristic rule over others, including Palestineand Iraq. As a result of the 14 April, 2004 Bush-Sharonmemorandum of understanding, the crisis in Israel and Pal-estine has moved into a new phase of oppression of the Pal-estinian people. This will inevitably lead to unending cyclesof violence and counter violence that are already spreadingthroughout the Middle East and other parts of the world.We reject the heretical teachings of Christian Zionism thatfacilitate and support these extremist policies as they ad-vance a form of racial exclusivity and perpetual war ratherthan the gospel of universal love, redemption and reconcili-ation taught by Jesus Christ.

Rather than condemn the world to the doom of Armaged-don we call upon everyone to liberate themselves from ide-ologies of militarism and occupation and instead to pursuethe healing of the world. We call upon Christians inchurches on every continent to prayerfully remember thesuffering of the Palestinian and Israeli people, both of whomare victims of policies of occupation and militarism. Thesepolicies are reviving a system of apartheid that is turningPalestinian cities, towns and villages into impoverished ghet-tos surrounded by exclusively Jewish colonies. The recentconstruction of the Israeli wall on Palestinian land precludesa viable Palestinian state.

THE 5TH INTERNATIONAL SABEEL CONFERENCE STATEMENT

“CHALLENGING CHRISTIAN ZIONISM”


Issue 33 - Summer 2004 9Issue 33 - Summer 2004 9

“Anyone who wants to have a happy life and to enjoy prosperity...mustnever yield to evil but must practice good; he must seek peace andpursue it.” (1 Peter 3:10, 11)

Every year, the months of May and June bring back to thePalestinian people the memory of an-Nakba (TheCatastrophe) with its twofold dates- May 15th (1948war)and June 5th (1967 war). These two dates remind usof the destruction of Palestine and the dispossession of itspeople.

The tragedy of the Palestinians did not end with thesewars, but was repeated on a daily basis, adding newtragedies and suffering by the Israeli government - thecontinuous state of siege, the destruction of homes, theclosures of towns and villages, the robbing of land, theapartheid wall, the targeted assassinations, the excruciatingsuffering, and the denial of people’s basic human rights.

The occupation of Iraq and the suffering of its people issimilar to what we experience here in Palestine in terms ofevil, injustice and oppression. It is quite obvious that welive under the domination of an American “empire” whoseright hand in the Middle East is Israel. Everything thatstands in the way of “empire” is called “terrorism.”

In light of these facts, we at Sabeel would like to re-iteratethe following:

1) The Bible, in both the Old and New Testaments urgesus to seek peace and pursue it. Therefore, we praycontinuously and strive persistently for peace.

2) We raise the voice of conscience against all evil,oppression, and domination; we call upon the internationalcommunity to make a concerted effort to put an end tothe injustice perpetrated by the Israeli government.

3) We call for peace for all people, near and far. We wishto live in peace with all our neighbors, including the Israelipeople, but our desire is for a life of freedom, dignity, andequality.

4) As long as Israel continues its practices of humiliation

Seek Peace and Pursue ItA translation of the Sabeel statement read at the ecumenical prayerservice for peace in Palestine and Iraq which was held at St.Stephen’s Dominican Church, Jerusalem on June 6, 2004

and oppression, it will reap only fear, anxiety, and thelack of security. The power of weapons will not bringlasting peace to Israel.

5) We strongly condemn the distortion of the imageof the Palestinian people, portraying them as enemiesof peace. We are a people who have been deprived ofour rights. Therefore, we strive to establish a lastingpeace based on justice and righteousness.

6) Peace can be achieved through the implementationof International Law by ending the occupation of thewhole of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem andthe Gaza Strip. It is possible to achieve peace throughIsrael’s withdrawal from Palestine, through the removalof the apartheid wall and the establishment of anindependent and fully sovereign Palestinian state.

7) We have no choice except to remain steadfast nomatter how long it takes. We extend our hands towelcome those who are willing to put aside arrogance,to repent from evildoing and injustice, and to giveback to the Palestinians their lawful rights.

8) As we continue to live in steadfastness, we will holdon to our genuine principles. We will continue tobring up our new generations on the values of love,faith and compassion, encouraging them to realizethe importance of striving for justice andrighteousness.

9) Our dependence is always on God, the source ofour strength, and in whom we place our trust. Weturn our face to God with whom we labor to achievejustice and peace in our land.

10) We will continue to act and pray, and to appealto all our friends everywhere to support us, and toinfluence their governments to lift this yoke ofinjustice that we bear. We ask our friends to continueto act tirelessly, until peace prevails and security isrealized in this Holy Land.


“ (During the pre-conference) I had the privilege of spending HolyWeek visiting Holy sites, worshiping in the Churches in Jerusa-lem, especially the Church of the Resurrection, participating in atraditional and contemporary Way of the Cross, and walking in

the footsteps of Jesus dur-ing the days before hiscrucifixion. Sadly, duringHoly Week, Christiansliving in the occupied ter-ritories were, by and large,denied access to Jerusalemeven with the proper per-mits. When they arrivedat checkpoints, they wereturned back. Some hadtheir permits confiscatedor torn up.The strategy session I at-tended stands out in mymind as a symbol of how

Christians can work together while honoring our differences. Dr.Gary Burge, professor of New Testament at Wheaton College andProfessor Barbara Rossing, teacher of New Testament at the Lu-theran School of Theology, Chicago jointly facilitated a discussionon the Biblical verses used to support the Christian Zionist posi-tion and the scriptures countering the Christian Zionist position.Professor Burge, a well grounded conservative evangelical and Pro-fessor Barbara Rossing a liberation theology feminist worked ex-tremely well together although their Biblical understandings werequite different. It was great to have them affirm each other whiledisagreeing on their understanding of the Biblical text.”Stephen Denny

From the Conference“Generously dynamic and impactful giving us insights to the strug-gles of the Palestinians and how we have been too sheltered fromthe harsh realities they face, and the importance of getting thismessage out to our communities.”

“It was excellent. I have been like a sponge, absorbing so muchinformation.”

“I want you to know that you provided one of the most im-pressive programs that I have ever attended. Sabeel, in combi-nation with St. Georges College, did a marvelous job and oneI will never forget.”

“The conference worship was uplifting. It is such a blessing to seethe strong faith of the Palestinian people reinforced in worshipand lived out in their lives. God’s presence has been part of everyworship opportunity.”

“In addition to learned and informative lectures the other partof the course was to open our eyes and minds to the reality ofthe Palestinian people. Through a number of speakers and ar-tistic presentations the conference became aware of the spiritwith which the Palestinian people address the problems theyface. A visit to Ramallah included the Friends Boys Schoolwhere, in addition to useful lectures, we were treated to a per-formance by an amazing youth dance group, called Bara’emEl-Funoun.” Ron Miller

“I would have prefered giving { worship time } to the presentationand leaving worship to an opening and closing ceremony.”

“Tremendous days. I am so glad we were taken to Jacob’s Welland to visit Abuna Yousef.” Mary Wood

“Being on the rubble of a former home was just one part of theroller coaster of emotions that made up the contemporary sta-tions of the cross. It seemed almost voyeuristic to be therepicking our way through the rubble, picking up pieces of a

Participants’ Evaluation



Wind of God, blow strongly,Break the walls of hate;Sweep away divisions;Open wide love’s gate.Heal and cleanse and strengthenHearts that still are coldAnd, in every language,Let your truth be told.

Harmonising Spirit,Spread your flame of peace -Burning brighter, stronger,Light of love increase.Fill with warmth and brightnessEvery darkened place.Let your joy and radianceShine on every face.

Gentle, dove-like Spirit,Soothing frightened hearts,Strengthen and encourageTill all fear departs.Then strong cries for justiceWill at last be heard;Ears, long closed, will listen,By these voices stirred.

Come then, lively Spirit,Fill this world of pain.End the reign of violence,Set us free again ......Free from all oppression,Let the fighting cease;Enmity behind us,Build your world of peace.

home, but offering up the experience in prayer together helpedmake sense of the non-sense. It was an intense experience andall observed carefully from a distance by Israeli soldiers.” BridgetRees

“One of the most informative and well-organized conferences Ihave ever attended.”

“Excellent, fantastic program! Life changing.”

“The speakers were top notch - I felt privileged to experience themall.”

“Count me in as a supporter of Sabeel.”

“An outstanding, well-planned and executed conference. Moststimulating and inspiring! Keep up the fine, helpful work for peacewith justice nonviolently.”

“Cultural interludes were unexpected, of very high quality,varied and so enjoyable.”

Pentecost hymnby Wendy Ross-Barker

c Wendy Ross-Barker, May 2004Wendy Ross-Barker works with Friends of Sabeel UK

2004 Sabeel International

Witness for Peaceand Justice5-12 November 2004

For more informationvisit our website: www. sabeel.org

Call: (972) 2 532 7136;Fax: (972) 2 532 7137Email: [email protected]


12 Issue 33 - Summer 200412 Issue 31 - Winter 2003

The 5th International Sabeel Conference, “ChallengingChristian Zionism: Theology, Politics, and the Israel-Pales-tine Conflict”, was held April 14-18, 2004 at the NotreDame Conference Center in Jerusalem across the street fromthe Old City. In attendance were 640 participants from 32countries many of whom had to overcome personal trepi-dation or family pressure to be with us during these timesof conflict and uncertainty. We appreciate their persistenceand fortitude. We were very disappointed that four peoplefrom countries in Africa and one from India were deniedvisas by the Israeli government despite a flurry of letters togovernment officials. We hope we will have the opportu-nity to host them sometime in the near future.

The conference opened with two days focusing on the his-tory and theology of Christian Zionism as a way of givingparticipants an insight into the roots of this ever-growingmovement. Experts in this field gave visual presentationsillustrating the cause and effect of an ideology that began inEngland in the 1800’s. The focus then shifted to the effectsthat the Christian Zionist movement is having on mainlinechurches, in Islam and Judaism, and international politics.The final day was spent in workshops concentrating on stra-tegic planning. Morning Bible studies were also includedwhere local and international theologians presented theirviews on the issue of land, the promise of the Fathers, andthe Book of Revelation.

Local participation was encouraged. However, the politicalsituation does not allow many of the Palestinians to travelto Jerusalem. Consequently Sabeel attempted to take theconference to them by planning one day of events inRamallah and one day in Bethlehem. We were successful

5th InternationalSabeel Conference

by Janet Lahr Lewis

Summary



in getting 8 buses of participants through the Qalandiacheckpoint and into Ramallah where we were hosted by theFriends Boys’ School. The lectures were concluded by awonderful and lively cultural event where young Palestin-ians, ages 8-15, performed traditional (and not so traditional)dances encouraged by the clapping and cheering of the par-ticipants.The day concluded with a visit to President Yasser Arafat atthe Muqata’a - the compound of the Palestinian Authority-where many photos were taken of the massive destructionand huge piles of rubble, all that remains of the majority ofthe buildings where the administration of the governmentwas housed. Government officials are now confined to twosmaller buildings, both severely damaged.

Sunday, April 18 was planned as our day in Bethlehem wherewe were to be hosted by Bethlehem University for a full dayof workshops and discussions followed by a closing dinnerand entertainment at the Bethlehem Hotel. Unfortunately,on Saturday evening we received word that Abdel AzizRantisi, the newly declared head of Hamas, had become thelatest victim of Israel’s targeted assassinations. Many phonecalls were made to colleagues and friends in Bethlehem. Al-though they all agreed that for many it would be a sign ofsolidarity to bring busloads of people into Bethlehem, therewas concern that the visit might be misinterpreted by thecommunity who would be on strike for the three days ofmourning. Tensions were already running high before theassassination, so after much consideration the coordinatingcommittee decided to respect the advice of our Bethlehemiteassociates not to be insensitive to the community in mourn-ing. As a result, all activities had to be quickly rearrangedback at the Notre Dame Center. One of our speakers for theday was himself a Bethlehemite who does not hold a permitto come to Jerusalem. Consequently his lecture had to begiven via telephone hook-up.One full day was spent on field trips around the Jerusalemarea; visits to the Mt of Olives, Al Azaria (Bethany) wherethe Separation Wall has closed the historic (and biblical) routefrom Jericho to Jerusalem, and visits to villages in the sur-rounding area where the wall is dividing families from theirschools, places of employment, hospitals, and each other.

Perhaps the highlight of the field trip day was the visit tothe Al Aqsa Mosaqe where the group was graciously wel-comed by the director - Sheikh Hussain, who greeted ourlarge group and allowed us to visit the holy sites. We werenot only the first non-Muslims allowed inside the compoundsince the beginning of the Intifada in Sept. 2000, but wewere also allowed to take photos inside the Dome of theRock, something that is normally forbidden.

Presenters gave different and sometimes controversial view-points; participants’ thoughts were stimulated enough to raisesome difficult issues in their questions; organizers and vol-unteers did their best to make sure all ran reasonablysmoothly despite the complications and constant changes.We could, at this point, call it a “successful” conference.However, the challenge is still there. The question must con-tinue to be asked: “Are you willing to stand up to the chal-lenge, and if so, what are you going to do about it?”

Janet Lahr Lewis, Conference Coordinator.United Methodist Mission Personnel working at Sabeel.



The anticipation that Spring and the Resurrection season would bring some hopefulsigns of peace in this region ended in more frustration... Summer struggled inwith added facts on the ground: the dreaded Wall has reached Jerusalem... Willneither the voice of reason nor international law be effective in conquering evil?

Sabeel, like other peace-building organizations, contin-ues to bring awareness and rouse the conscience of justicelovers. One such effort was the Fifth International Confer-ence covered on almost all pages of this issue. However,conferences- as important as they are- are only one aspect ofthe work of Sabeel; other programs are implemented withas much eagerness, zeal and ...hope.

PROGRAMS

Community -Building

The third pre-conference lecture on Christian Zionism wasdelivered in Arabic by Father Maroun Lahham, rector ofthe Beit Jala Latin Seminary, to a Jerusalem audience onApril 1, 2004 at the YWCA. An audience of about 100 peo-ple was curious to understand more about this growingmovement that is negatively affecting the religious and po-litical lives of the Palestinians. For many of the local resi-dents who could not attend the whole conference, these pre-conference sessions whetted their appetite in a bitter way.

... and when all efforts fail, we take comfort in prayer...A special Ecumenical Worship Service for peace was held onSunday, June 6, 2004 at St. Stephen’s Dominican Church.The scripture verse from 1 Peter: 10, 11: “For those whodesire life and desire to see good days...let them turn away

of ourSnapshots

Activities



from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it”,reflected clearly the aspirations and concerns of those wholifted up prayers for the end of the suffering of the people inPalestine/Israel and Iraq, as well as everywhere else in the world.Over 150 clergy and lay people participated in the servicecalled for by the group of clergy that regularly meet at Sabeel.Choirs from the Armenian and Coptic traditions chantedtheir peace hymns while the budding “Raja’” (Hope) bandled the communal singing. In its ten-point statement readby Archmandrite Atallah Hanna during the service, Sabeelre-iterated its commitment to persevere in its work for peaceand to urge the international ‘conscience’ to pressure theIsraeli government to put an end to its oppressivemeasures.....(See full statement on page 9).

Clergy

Several of the clergy participated in Sabeel’s Fifth Interna-tional Conference in Jerusalem; Father Youssef Saadeh fromNablus coordinated the post-conference trip in that area,but their “own” meeting was held on May 11, at Sabeel fol-lowed by a light lunch. Father Marwan Di’des - FranciscanOrder - reflected on the parable of the prodigal son. The sixpriests present, among whom one from Bethlehem, anotherfrom Jericho, reviewed the yearly plan and renewed theircommitment to strengthen relations with their brethren inthe West Bank through increased social visits of solidarity.Hence on June 22, the priests will be in Birzeit, Jifna andAbboud.

Women

Several of the “Local Friends of Sabeel” were involved inSabeel’s 5th International Conference in April, offering vari-ous forms of assistance to the staff both in Jerusalem andRamallah. Sabeel expressed its appreciation at a dinner heldon May 14.

The May 28 gathering of Jerusalem and Nazareth womenin the series of spiritual, recreational trips further strength-ened the social ties among the 85 women who participated.The sites chosen were Safourieh (Sephoris), the traditional


home of Mary’s parents-Joachim and Hanna, Ibillin and theMt.of Beatitudes. For many, even old-timers in both groups,the two first places were new, and the Mt. of Beatitudes wasexperienced from a new perspective and a deeper under-standing of blessings. The Jerusalem group had started theday lightheartedly with hymns and prayers, but driving alongthe Wall of Separation, cutting through Arab villages andtowns, jolted people into the ugly and painful reality of theongoing Israeli occupation. Rula Shbeita, the tourist guide,patiently pointed out places of interest but the sight of theominous wall wiped out the pleasant atmosphere.

After a short stop at Megiddo Park for breakfast, the busheaded towards the St. Anne convent in Safourieh, wherethe Nazareth group welcomed their Jerusalem sisters withcoffee and cinnamon rolls. Though very little remains ofthe old Palestinian village, the convent - managed by theItalian Nuns of the Order of St. Anne - has become a refugefor hundreds of homeless and underprivileged young menand women from the surrounding hamlets. It is a beacon ofhope for all faiths.

The group also visited the attractive ruins of a church builton the traditional home site of Joachim and Hanna -Mary’sparents- a symbolic pilgrimage, since the month of May isdedicated to the Virgin Mary in the Roman CatholicChurch.

One of the highlights of the day was the encounter withFather Elias Chacour awaiting the group in front of thenew auditorium of Mar Elias Educational Establishmentsat the top of a mountain, rising high over the narrow-wind-ing streets of Ibillin. Only one day earlier, the Institute hadcelebrated its 20th anniversary and the yellow flowers thatadorned the graduation hall were warmly welcoming. Theinspiring story of this man from the Galilee who dared bravethe challenges in order to bring together Christian, Mus-lim, Jew and Druze students had finally yielded its fruits.Today the village of Ibillin has the first Arab university inIsrael and it promotes coexistence and reconciliation. A pow-erful mural painted by Diane Roe, CPT, expresses “Together,we are stronger than the storm”

Filled with awe and admiration, the women’s voices rose inpraise and glory to God in the unfinished ‘Basilica of theBeatitudes’, an artistic achievement made possible by dona-tions from various faiths all over the world. Ibillin is a modelof faith and perseverance, a blessing. An excellent lunch wasserved at the modern banquet hall of al-Rashid restaurantin the village. Joyous laughter filled the air as the two groupsmingled together savoring those rare moments of fellow-ship. The peaceful quiet afternoon by the Sea of Galileepassed too quickly, and it was soon time for farewells.

On the way to Jerusalem, it was time for reflection and evalu-ation. Several people requested archeological trips too, sinceon this occasion we had deliberately avoided digs. For thenew-comers, Sabeel’s work was introduced through the wit-ness of volunteers who had participated in the 5th Interna-tional Conference. The conference statement was circulatedtoo.

Youth

On March 27, a dozen teen-age leaders assisted in enter-taining 88 children at the Maison d’Abraham in Jerusalemin an egg-hunting activity. Mothers and friends had volun-teered and offered over 900 colored eggs for the event. RobThorburn, our volunteer from the UK added bliss to theoccasion by dressing up as a clown and singing at the guitar.The volunteers, after securing the children back home, gath-ered at Sabeel for a light meal.

A delegation from KAIROS, Canada, a youth group fromthe Iona Community in Scotland, led by Dr. Runa Mackayand a youth group from Sweden, all eager to hear about thestruggles of the Palestinian Youth under occupation, metwith a few of the young teenagers and adults involved withSabeel.



Visitors

The determination and courage of visitors is a boost forSabeel. Among these, in addition to the ones already men-tioned above, were groups including: DanChurch Aid ledby Uffe Gjerding from Denmark; two from Christian Aidled by Nigel Varndell and Ramani Leathard; from the UnitedReform Church, UK; bishops from the Boston Area led byBishop Tom Shaw and Maurine Tobin; Swiss Protestantsled by Albert Rieger, from the Swedish Theological Insti-tute, a large delegation from Amos Trust led by GarthHewitt, students from San Francisco Theological Semi-nary led by Charles Marks, an archeological group led byMax Miller and the International Course participants atTantur Ecumenical Institute,.

Other

Taking advantage of the author Duncan Macpherson be-ing in town, Sabeel invited a small group of “bookworms”to the launching of his book “Pilgrim Preacher: Palestine,Pilgrimage and Preaching”. At the same time, Michael Priorintroduced” Speaking Truth about Zionism and Israel” thebook he recently edited. Copies of both interesting booksare available at the Sabeel Center.

On May 3, The Sabeel crew spent a well-earned day of restaway from the conference wrap-up and office work. After a

brief stop on Mt. Carmel, they drove through the Druzevillages and stopped in Old Akka (Acre) for lunch. In theafternoon, they reached the border of Lebanon at Ras alNaqura and made a special trip to Ikrith, where the churchstaunchly stands to remind the world of the once existingPalestinian village, pre-1948. On the way back, they passedthrough Kufr Yassif for a taste of the well-known Shafa Americe-cream.



International Friends of Sabeel supportsthe work of Sabeel through education,advocacy, conferences, solidarity visits,and financial contributions. Regionalchapters have been established creatinga network of friends throughout theworld who work in partnership withSabeel to help bring about a just anddurable peace for Palestine and Israel.

International Friends of Sabeel (IFOS) havebeen very active these past few months with hostingconferences and extending their outreach and effec-tiveness through increasing memberships, establish-ing new regional chapters, and encouraging group vis-its. We are happy to announce the establishment ofour latest IFOS chapter in the Netherlands. For thoseinterested we will soon have their contact informationon our website.

Sabeel is very happy and grateful that all of our IFOSchapters were represented at our 5th internationalSabeel Conference in Jerusalem. We also had partici-pation in our IFOS finance meeting which took placeimmediately after the conference. We wish to extendour sincere thanks to all of you who have been givingup your free time to assist us in the ministry of Sabeelthrough your concerted efforts in your own countries.May God continue to bless your efforts!

Volunteers

Sabeel bade farewell to Rob Thorburn from the UK, who,for six months, patiently tackled all the endless exasperatingproblems of computers. Rob’s good humor and gentlemanlymanners will long be missed. Rob handed the reins toMohammad Desai from South Africa, who is spending threemonths in the country before pursuing his studies.

Sabeel wishes to thank Fadi Khoury for his support duringthe conference and wishes him well in his new job at theLatin Patriarchate.

News from Nazareth

Visitors to Sabeel Nazareth included a Scottish Group ledby Dr. Runa Mackay (who had resided and served there), aSwedish Youth group led by Karl Malmquist, over 100 con-ference participants in the post-conference program and RolaKaram, residing in the USA and a member of FOSNA.Several members of the Nazareth Committee also attendedthe 5th International Conference and actively participatedthrough prayers and moderating.

On April 24, Jamal Juma’, of the Stop the Wall Campaigngave a power point presentation at the Nazareth CuturalCenter. The hall was filled with attendees from all faithsand walks of life, who were shocked by the painful discrimi-nation imposed by the “democratic” state of Israel.

On May 27, the Young Couples monthly meeting was withDr. Elias Daw to discuss their growing social problems.

The Nazareth Sabeel children met for an informal pleasantafternoon at Violet Khoury’s home. By planting seeds ofecumenism at such an early age, Sabeel ensures continuityof the movement and the building of a liberated society.



If you are interested in becoming a member of International Friends of Sabeel, please contact:IFOS coordinator - Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center, P.O, Box 49084 Jerusalem

91491, Palestine via IsraelTel: 972.2.532. 7136 Fax: 972.2.532.7137

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.sabeel.org

IFOS

Friends of Sabeel-North America (FOS-NA)will continue with its pro-gram of regional confer-ences in the fall of 2004and spring of 2005. Thenext event is scheduled inSt. Paul, Minnesota, Octo-ber 22 and 23, at the Uni-versity of St. Thomas. PaxChristi USA will co-spon-

sor this event with FOSNA. We are in the process of liningup speakers and workshops. Committee leaders are Maryand Nick Eoloff of St. Paul who attended the 5th Interna-tional Conference in Jerusalem and who are the adoptiveparents of Mordecai Vanunu. Jesuit Father David Smith,who also attended the conference, is our host at the Univer-sity. Dick Toll will travel to St. Paul at the end of June tomeet with the conference coordinating committee. Otherconferences are under consideration for Austin/Dallas, At-lanta, and Birmingham. Elaine’s summer will be spent onthe phone, doing a national membership drive campaignwith proceeds going to our program of conferences. Anumber of FOSNA’s leadership team participated in theannual meeting of the US Campaign to End Israeli Occu-pation in Washington DC in May. We have changed our

Snapshotsemail address to a more professional service:[email protected] (please change your records) and ourwebsite, www.fosna.org is now being managed by KenWillett who is also a consultant for Bethlehem University(and he lives here in Portland). Finally, a great congratula-tions and gratitude to all of our friends in Jerusalem for theexcellent conference in April. It gives us the strength andencouragement to continue our work.

Friends of Sabeel-Australia Inc. (FOS-OZ)reports that the Rev’d Dr. Greg Jenks pre-sented a report of the 5th InternationalSabeel Conference at a public meeting inBrisbane on Sunday, 2 May, 2004. As wellGreg spoke about the situation of the Pal-

estinians at a Student Christian Movement gathering on Fri-day, 4 June. Copies of Greg’s account of the InternationalSabeel Conference as well as his report on the subsequentWitnesses for Justice and Peace program were circulated toall the members and patrons of FOS-OZ. At the BrisbaneAnglican Diocesan Synod, to be held over the weekend of19-20 June, Greg is moving a motion (with Ray Barracloughseconding it) in support of the Palestinians, of Sabeel and ofFriends of Sabeel-Australia Incorporated.



General E-mail [email protected]

Friends of SabeelUnited Kingdom (FOS-UK)Mrs. Janet Davies65, Paradise StreetLiverpool L1 3BPUnited KingdomTel/Fax: (44) 151 707 9500E-mail: [email protected]

Friends of SabeelIreland (FOS-IR)ARDSONAS’The Rev. Ken Thompson12B Carrickbrack RoadSutton, Dublin 13 IrelandTel/Fax (353)-1-832-1152E-mail: [email protected]

Friends of SabeelAustralia Inc. (FOS-OZ)The Rev. Ray BarracloughSt. Francis College233 Milton Rd.QueenslandAustralia 4064Tel: (61)7 3369 4286Fax: (61)7 3369 4691E-mail:[email protected]

Purpose Statement Sabeel Éy

Friends of SabeelNorth America (FOS-NA)(U.S. and Canada)Canon Richard TollPO Box 9186Portalnd, OR 97207USATel: (1)-503-653-6625E-mail: [email protected]

Canadian FOS (CFOS)c/o The Rev. Robert Assaly2262 Braeside Ave.Ottawa, ONK1H 7J7E-mail: [email protected]: www.sabeel.ca

Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theology movement among Palestinian Christians.Inspired by the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theology seeks to deepen thefaith of Palestinian Christians, promote unity among them, and lead them to act for justiceand love. Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, non-violence,liberation, and reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. The word‘Sabeel’ is Arabic for ‘the way’ and also a ‘channel’ or ‘spring’ of life-giving water.

Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness regarding the identity,presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concerns. Itencourages individuals and groups from around the world to work for a just, comprehensive,and enduring peace informed by truth and empowered by prayer and action.

For more information on Friends of Sabeel groups in your area please contact our International representatives or the Sabeel Center in Jerusalem.

E-Mail addresses:

SabeelEcumenical Liberation

Theology CenterP.O.B. 49084

Jerusalem 91491

Tel: 972.2.532.7136

Fax: 972.2.532.7137

Visit our website at:

www.sabeel.org

Ahlan Wa Sahlan [email protected] Local Department [email protected] Friends of Sabeel [email protected] Conference: [email protected] Nazareth: [email protected]

Friends of SabeelScandinavia (FOSS)(Norway, Denmark,Sweden)The Rev. EmmanuelFurbackenRonnvagen 50443 45 SjovikSwedenTel: 46-302 43665Fax: 46 302 43745E-mail: [email protected]: 22 43 21-0Website: www.sabeel.nu

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